Incident Overview
While en route to the staging area, the aircraft's engine began running rough and subsequently lost power. The pilot selected a dirt road for an emergency landing. During the landing roll, the left wing collided with a fence, and the right wing struck a dirt embankment, causing the airplane to veer to the right.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the engine identified two holes in the crankcase above the number 2 piston position. A subsequent teardown inspection revealed that the number 2 piston skirt had fractured into several pieces. The remaining undamaged internal engine components exhibited normal operational movement when the engine was rotated externally.
Maintenance History
Records indicated that the engine had last been overhauled 1,284 hours before the accident. The manufacturer's recommended time between overhauls (TBO) for this engine model is 1,200 hours.
Additional Findings
No other anomalies were noted in the engine's internal components beyond the number 2 piston skirt failure. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings due to contact with the fence and embankment.