Accident Summary
Shortly after departure, the pilot of a single-engine airplane reported that the aircraft lost its ability to climb or maintain altitude. Emergency procedures were attempted but proved unsuccessful, and the airplane subsequently descended into the tree tops, where it came to rest.
Engine Examination
A postaccident examination of the engine was conducted. The propeller assembly showed no evidence of preimpact failure. An engine teardown revealed that the top piston ring in the #1 cylinder was broken. The cylinder wall exhibited no scoring. Additionally, the right magneto was found to operate intermittently, particularly at higher engine RPM settings.
Aircraft Maintenance History
At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated a total time of 3,169.9 hours. The time since the last major overhaul was 2,064.5 hours. The aircraft had been operated for 2.4 hours since its most recent annual inspection.