Accident Overview
During flight over a wooded area at an altitude of 800 ft above ground level, the aircraft's engine failed. The pilot was unable to reach a suitable landing site before contacting the ground. The aircraft struck a telephone cable prior to touchdown and came to rest on an embankment located below the elevation of a nearby road.
Engine Examination
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed significant internal damage. The No. 4 connecting rod was fractured near the inboard end, displaying a rough granular fracture surface, and was also broken at the outboard end. The wrist pin for the corresponding piston had disintegrated, and the piston pin boss was broken on one end. Chunks and metal shavings were found throughout the engine. There was no evidence of oil starvation.
Maintenance History
The engine was last overhauled in 1973, operating 124 tach hours prior to the accident. All pistons were new at the time of overhaul. The aircraft had accumulated 4 hours of flight time since its last annual inspection on September 9, 1982, and only 7 hours since the previous annual inspection in July 1981.