What happened
During the climbout phase of flight, a Piper PA 24 suffered a total engine failure. Following the loss of power, the pilot attempted a forced landing, but the aircraft impacted the terrain.
The investigation
Mechanical examination of the engine revealed that the accessory drive gear was loose on the end of the crankshaft. Because of this looseness, the gear was failing to drive the accessory section of the engine.
Investigators determined that the aircraft had previously been involved in a propeller strike. During the subsequent repairs, the instructions provided in the Textron Lycoming Service Bulletin were not followed. While the bulletin required the installation of a new style drive gear and a specific gear retaining bolt, the repair was completed using old style parts instead.