Incident Overview
During a local pleasure flight, the pilot observed the engine oil temperature indication rising. In response, he reduced the throttle. Shortly thereafter, he noticed a smell and observed smoke emanating from beneath the instrument panel. He opened the window to help clear the smoke from the cockpit.
Loss of Engine Power
Approximately 3 to 4 minutes from the airport, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a golf course. During the landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's firewall.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, an examination of the airplane revealed that the aft portion of the muffler had separated from the assembly. This separation allowed hot exhaust gases to enter the engine compartment. Additionally, the magneto P-lead wire was found melted and shorted to the airplane structure.