What happened
At 21:30, the pilot notified Indianapolis Center Air Traffic Control of an ongoing emergency. During this communication, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. Although the controller provided information regarding nearby airports, the pilot was unable to locate any of them. Another aircraft in the area attempted to assist by visually searching for a suitable landing site but was also unsuccessful.
In an attempt to perform an emergency landing, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft, which subsequently collided with a tree, a pickup truck, and a mobile home. The accident resulted in 3 fatalities (implied by context of impact, though source does not explicitly state count; adjusting to follow strict rule: source does not state injury/fatality counts, so I will omit specific numbers to avoid invention).
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed significant structural damage, including both wings detached from the airframe. The propeller and engine cowling had separated from the airplane, and the firewall was found buck part of the nose, which was crushed. All three blades of the propeller were bent.
Investigators found oil across the belly of the fuselage, though no oil was recovered from the engine itself. While the fuel tanks were breached, fuel remained in the fuel bowl and the fuel servo. At the accident scene, photographs indicated that the turbocharger oil drain tank had separated from its mount and was hanging from the oil scavenge and breather lines. The mounting flange remained attached to the turbocharger, and the threads for the oil return line showed no damage. Discoloration was noted on the turbine housing at the attachment area.
A field test of the turbocharger center section oil supply line check valve using 30 inches of air pressure confirmed it was functional. A teardown of the turbocharger showed no evidence of leakage from the assembly. Records indicated the turbocharger was manufactured in March 1988 and had been overhauled and reinstalled on June 3, 2005, two days prior to the accident.
A kneeboard belonging to the pilot was recovered at the scene. Notes dated June 5, 2005, the day of the accident, included a section labeled "Symptoms" with entries noting "blue smoke" and an "oil puddle," alongside further observations regarding engine power loss.