Incident Overview
While cruising at 9,500 feet, the pilot observed that the oil pressure was low. Shortly thereafter, the engine ceased operation. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft toward an airport, but the airplane touched down short of the runway. During the landing roll, the aircraft nosed over in soft sand.
Post-Accident Inspection
Examination of the aircraft revealed that a considerable amount of oil had traveled aft on the lower engine cowling, originating from the nose gear area. The engine had undergone an annual inspection on the day of the accident and had accumulated less than one hour of flight time since that inspection.
Engine Examination
Further inspection of the engine determined that the oil heat sensor probe was only finger tight. Oil had leaked from that area, leading to the loss of oil pressure and subsequent engine failure.