Incident Overview
According to the pilot, during cruise flight the engine began to emit a loud "tapping" noise and experienced vibration. As the pilot maneuvered to perform an emergency landing on a dirt road, the engine produced a loud "bang," lost power, and the aircraft collided with a gate during rollout.
Engine Examination
Post-incident examination of the engine revealed that the number 6 connecting rod bearing had failed and the connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft.
Maintenance Records
A review of the engine records showed that the engine was removed from the airplane on September 29, 1987, and reinstalled on September 22, 1998. No records were found indicating that the engine was stored in accordance with the manufacturer's service information letter SIL99-1: Engine Preservation for Active and Stored Aircraft.