Accident Overview
The airplane departed the runway and was climbing at 90 knots when the engine and propeller rpm began to overspeed. The pilot attempted to adjust the propeller control, but there was no change in rpm. Subsequently, the airplane lost altitude and impacted trees near the departure end of the runway.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the number 6 connecting rod had failed. Additionally, no oil was present in the engine, and the oil filter converter plate was missing remnants of its gasket.
An Airworthiness Directive (AD) had been issued addressing the oil filter converter plate gasket on engines that had been factory remanufactured after April 1, 1999. The AD required replacement of the oil filter converter plate gasket before further flight on engines with more than 50 hours time since new, since overhaul, or since the last replacement of the gasket or converter plate, and thereafter every 50 hours time in service since the last replacement. Noncompliance with the AD could result in protrusion or swelling of the converter plate gasket and subsequent loss of engine oil.
Maintenance Records
The engine had been factory remanufactured on May 5, 2000, and had accumulated approximately 376.2 hours since this remanufacture at the time of the accident. Examination of the engine maintenance records revealed that the AD had not been complied with since the engine's remanufacture.