Incident Overview
While cruising at approximately 2,000 feet, the top engine cowling of the aircraft separated in flight. This caused an engine oil line to rupture and created a hole in the left side of the windshield, which became covered in oil. Due to the loss of engine oil, the pilot shut down the engine and executed an emergency landing on a beach.
Landing and Damage
During the landing on soft terrain, the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft sustained damage to the nose gear as a result of the ground contact.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that he suspected the right front cowling latch had failed. He stated that the latch had been replaced approximately 10 flight hours prior to the incident. The pilot further stated that he had conducted a thorough preflight inspection and that all fasteners were secured before the flight. However, because the cowling was not recovered, the condition of the fastener could not be determined.