Preliminary Report Notes Hole In Engine

While the official ruling remains months away regarding the circumstances that led two men to ditch their Cessna 210 Centurion in the waters of San Francisco Bay earlier this month, a preliminary report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board identified the likely cause.

According to the NTSB, investigators examined the airplane after it was removed from the water. "They observed a hole in the engine crankcase near the number two cylinder," the Board notes, adding the intact airframe was later transported to storage for further investigation.

As ANN reported, Bruce Moody and Matt Barcelona were flying around the Bay Area on September 10, doing aerial photography near Oakland. About 30 minutes after takeoff from Reid-Hillview Airport in San Jose (RHV), their aircraft suddenly went quiet at 1,500 feet over the water off Emeryville.

Moody was the PIC, and said he tried to glide to Alameda to land, but didn't make it. The C210 splashed down 500 yards from shore just north of the Bay Bridge. Fortunately for Moody and Barcelona, drivers waiting in line to pay their tolls saw it happen and called 911.

The NTSB report notes Moody told the investigator-in-charge (IIC) the engine started to lose power, and he then noticed that there was no oil pressure indicated.

FMI: Read The NTSB Prelim