Incident Overview
During cruise flight, the engine lost power, and the pilot executed a forced landing on a freeway. During the landing, the airplane struck a car and subsequently hit a fence with the right wing. The pilot had rented the airplane for a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
The first leg of the flight proceeded without mechanical issues. On the second leg, the pilot observed a drop in engine power, followed by violent shaking of the airframe. The pilot then set up for an emergency landing on the freeway. While landing, the airplane impacted a car that the pilot had not noticed, as well as a fence.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that oil had covered the belly of the airplane and coated the inside of the engine compartment and the nose wheel assembly. The engine had sustained a catastrophic internal failure. The oil drain plug was missing.
Maintenance History
Investigation determined that the engine had been overhauled 5 hours prior to the accident and reinstalled by the operator's maintenance personnel. The oil drain plug is normally secured with safety wire, but no safety wire remnants were found on the engine.