Just Out Of Annual

It was a beautiful October day. Clear sky, unlimited visibility, calm wind, smooth ride. My trusty 1960 Cessna 210 was humming along at 5500 feet, taking my pilot wife and me back home to Lebanon, Mo. (LBO). Suddenly, there was the deafening sound of silence from the front. The engine decided to stop without so much as a cough, sputter or warning. Funny how busy one can get in a few short seconds in a now-quiet cockpit. Boost pump on high, mixture full rich, switch tanks as my wife reached for the emergency checklist. We were about 20 miles from our destination. Maybe I could get the engine to start again, even for just a few more miles. My wife remained calm, although I could see the concern as she scanned the beautiful Ozarks hills and trees for an off-field landing spot.

Key Takeaways:

• A pilot experienced a sudden engine failure in his Cessna 210 mid-flight but, through quick application of emergency procedures and a brief, rough engine restart, was able to execute a successful emergency landing.
• The incident occurred weeks after a costly annual inspection, during which the pilot had a persistent "bad feeling" about the aircraft, ultimately linked to a failed cylinder that had been reworked during the maintenance.
• Key takeaways emphasize trusting one's intuition about aircraft issues, diligently practicing emergency procedures, and remaining vigilant after any maintenance, as extensive work doesn't always guarantee a safe aircraft.

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