Accident Overview
Approximately one hour and fifteen minutes into a cross-country flight, the pilot observed that the engine oil pressure was decreasing. In response, the pilot elected to make a precautionary landing on a highway.
Sequence of Events
As the aircraft turned onto the final approach for the highway, the engine lost power. Subsequently, the aircraft's right wing collided with a tree. Following the wing strike, the aircraft struck the road in a nose-down attitude. The impact caused the collapse of the nose landing gear and the left main landing gear.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the engine was conducted. The examination failed to disclose any preexisting malfunctions or failures that could account for the loss of engine power.