Accident Overview
During a climb to an assigned altitude, the pilot reported a loss of engine power to air traffic control. The pilot attempted an engine restart, which was unsuccessful, and subsequently informed the controller of the situation. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field.
Forced Landing and Collision
Upon touchdown and landing rollout, the airplane collided with terraces that ran upslope. The impact caused the airplane to rotate 30 degrees to the left, resulting in the separation of the left wing.
Engine Examination
The engine was removed and disassembled for examination. The No. 5 main bearing journal and bearing shells were found to be severely worn and gouged. Further examination of the main bearing journal by the NTSB Materials laboratory revealed circumferential gouging across its entire width, along with heat tinting of the journal and adjacent surfaces. Macro etching of a rough ground cross section through the crankshaft showed lighter etching regions adjacent to the journal surface, consistent with overheating of the journal surface.