What happened
During a local flight, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, he executed a forced landing onto an adjacent farm field. As the aircraft touched down and began its landing roll, the nose wheel penetrated the soft soil. This interaction caused the airplane to flip over, coming to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
A postaccident examination of the airframe was conducted to determine the mechanical cause of the power loss. Inspectors focused on the engine components to identify any signs of failure or damage that could explain the in-flight shutdown.
Findings
The inspection revealed a critical structural failure within the engine. The #2 cylinder had fractured due to fatigue cracking. This internal failure resulted in the complete loss of power, necessitating the emergency landing. No further mechanical anomalies were reported as contributing factors.