Incident
A private pilot was returning to his departure airport after a local area flight. As he prepared to enter the traffic pattern, the engine failed. According to an interview with the pilot, he noticed that the engine RPM was at the red line and could not be controlled with the propeller lever. He declared an emergency, and within approximately 30 seconds the engine failed and the propeller stopped.
During the forced landing, the pilot attempted to align the aircraft with the runway. During this maneuver, the left wing contacted the ground. The aircraft then slid to a stop near the end of the runway. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained no injuries. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left wing.
Investigation
An on-scene investigation was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. The inspection revealed that the engine sump did not contain oil. Further examination determined that the oil cooler interconnect line on the left oil cooler was only finger tight. This condition resulted in an oil leak, which led to the loss of all engine oil. No other leaks were found, and no other engine anomalies were noted. The investigator determined that the loose oil cooler interconnect line was the source of the oil leak.