Flight Details
The purpose of the flight was to position the airplane at Miami's Opa Locka Airport. While at an altitude of 5,000 feet agl under radar control, the pilot heard a 'snap/thud, followed by a popping noise.' This was followed by an engine and propeller stoppage. An airborne restart was unsuccessful, and the propeller would not turn.
Forced Landing
Realizing he could not make it safely to an airport, the pilot landed the airplane in a pasture. During the landing, the airplane struck a tree, separating the left wing from the airframe. Additionally, the nose and right main landing gear collided with a gully, causing them to separate.
Investigation Findings
According to the operator's records, the engine was remanufactured by Continental Motors on December 9, 1997, and had 1622.9 hours of operating time since installation. The crankshaft was examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed that the crankshaft separated due to a fatigue crack that originated from the aft fillet radius of the No. 2 main journal. The fatigue area contained circumferential gouge marks and heat damage that were consistent with a bearing shell that had rotated or shifted. The bearing shell from the No. 1 rod journal also contained wear damage on the aft and forward edges that were consistent with shifting during engine operation.