Accident Summary
The airplane was inbound to the airport when the engine lost power. Subsequently, the pilot lost control while maneuvering to avoid a business, trees, a residence, people on the ground, and power lines. The airplane impacted the terrain in a nose-low attitude and was destroyed by the impact sequence, ensuing explosion, and fire.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the engine revealed a hole in the crankcase of the Continental E-225-8 engine over the #6 cylinder, and the #6 connecting rod was found separated from the rod journal. An engine teardown disclosed a massive oil starvation event. The #6 connecting rod disconnected from the crankshaft journal due to the heat generated by the oil starvation, causing the connecting rod bolts to fail in ductile overload from the elevated temperature. The reason for the oil starvation could not be determined through examination of the engine or the airplane wreckage. The maintenance records were destroyed by the post-impact fire, preventing determination of the engine's maintenance history.