AAIB investigation to X'air Falcon 133(1), G-CCSO
Engine failure and forced landing, near Owston Ferry, Lincolnshire, 5 July 2015.
Summary:
The aircraft was flying to Sandtoft Airfield, Lincolnshire, at an altitude of 1,100 ft, when the engine started to run roughly on one cylinder, the oil pressure gauge registered zero and the engine then stopped. The pilot immediately selected a field, which contained a standing wheat crop, for a forced landing and, realising there would be a danger of the aircraft overturning on touchdown, decided to stall the aircraft in from a height of about 5 ft. The subsequent heavy landing caused considerable damage to the landing gear and fuselage.
After shutting down the aircraft, the pilot informed Sandtoft of his situation and vacated the aircraft normally. From the symptoms, he concluded that the crankshaft had snapped, although the engine had only accumulated some 40 hours since installation. The engine was one of the earlier, two-crankshaft bearing models which were superseded by a stronger, three bearing design.
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