What happened
The flight instructor reported that the aircraft had just reached the top of a climb at 2500 feet when the engine suddenly lost power. With no option to return to the departure airport, the crew executed an off-airport landing on a nearby golf course. The terrain was not level, and the course contained numerous trees. During the touchdown, the wings struck several trees, resulting in significant damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
A mechanical examination of the engine was conducted to determine the cause of the power loss. The inspection disclosed that the rocker arm assembly for the number 1 exhaust valve had failed. This mechanical failure is consistent with the reported sudden loss of engine power during the climb phase.
Findings
The primary factor in this accident was the mechanical failure of the engine's rocker arm assembly. Contributing to the severity of the damage was the choice of landing site, which featured uneven terrain and obstacles such as trees that were struck during the forced landing.