What happened
The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft departed the airport and reached a cruise altitude of 3,500 feet mean sea level. During this phase of flight, the engine began to shudder violently. The pilot initiated a 180-degree course reversal to return to the departure airport but reported to air traffic control that visibility was obstructed because oil had been smeared across the aircraft's exterior surfaces.
After completing the turn, the engine lost all power. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a nearby farm. Upon contact with the lip of a fencerow, the landing gear separated from the airframe. The aircraft then traveled through a barbed wire fence, where the wings sustained damage from striking fence posts.
The investigation
A metallurgical examination was conducted on the failed engine components to determine the root cause of the mechanical failure. The analysis revealed that two connecting rods had failed due to high-stress fatigue. Additionally, three cam followers were found to have heads that were severely worn and suffered from heavy spalling damage.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the engine failure caused by internal component degradation. The severe wear of the cam followers and the subsequent fatigue failure of the connecting rods led to a total loss of power. This mechanical failure necessitated an emergency landing on unprepared terrain, which resulted in further damage to the aircraft structure.