Incident Overview
A pilot reported that approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the JPI engine monitor indicated an oil temperature of 89 degrees and oil pressure of zero. The pilot initiated a turn toward State Road 84 for an emergency landing. During the turn, a loud bang occurred and the engine ceased operating.
Emergency Landing
After losing engine power, the pilot sighted a dirt road about 15 miles southwest of State Road 84 and executed a forced landing there. During the landing rollout, the left wing tip struck a pick-up truck that was parked on the dirt road, causing the aircraft to veer into a ditch.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA inspector who responded to the scene observed clean oil on the bottom of the fuselage but could not determine the source of the oil leak. The following day, salvage personnel returned to retrieve the wreckage for detailed examination and found that the airplane had burned. Fire damage was extensive: the engine compartment and aft section, including the cabin and the inboard two-thirds of both wings, had incurred fire damage. Only the wing tips and empennage remained undamaged.
Examination of the engine revealed that the rear and right side had suffered fire damage. There was an opening in the engine case at the No. 4 cylinder position, with the No. 4 connecting rod protruding through the opening. Both the No. 4 and No. 5 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft, and all connecting rods and main bearings exhibited signatures consistent with oil starvation.