Incident Overview
While conducting a cross-country flight under an IFR flight plan in visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft experienced a decrease in engine oil pressure. Concurrently, the propeller entered an overspeed condition. In response, the pilot shut down the engine and initiated a forced landing.
Forced Landing and Damage
The pilot attempted to glide to the nearest airport but the aircraft came to rest in a wheat field approximately 1,320 feet short of the runway. Upon touchdown, the landing gear collapsed, resulting in damage to the wings and fuselage.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident examination revealed evidence of an oil scraper ring failure. This failure led to oil exhaustion from the engine. Additionally, evidence of oil venting into the exhaust system was observed.
Conclusion
The investigation determined that the engine failure was caused by oil exhaustion due to a failed oil scraper ring.