Incident Description
While cruising at an altitude of 3,500 feet, the pilot experienced a heavy vibration in the engine. Air traffic control vectored the pilot to a nearby airport. As the pilot turned onto final approach, he was high. He retracted the wing flaps and landing gear and added power in an attempt to reach a nearby field. The engine failed to respond, and the aircraft landed hard next to the runway. A witness reported that the airplane appeared to stall from a height of 40 to 50 feet.
Post-Crash Examination
A post-crash examination of the engine was conducted. The examination revealed that the oil screen had been replaced with an oil filter adapter. This adapter had come loose, allowing engine oil to escape through the opening. The connecting rod failed due to oil starvation and penetrated the engine case.
Examination Findings
The threads on the oil filter adapter were found to be worn, as were the mating threads on the oil pump housing. The loss of oil led to lubrication failure, resulting in the connecting rod failure and subsequent penetration of the engine case.