Accident Narrative
A private pilot and two passengers departed on a local pleasure flight. Shortly after takeoff, engine oil coated the windscreen and the engine began to lose power. Video of the accident shows the pilot executed a teardrop turn in an attempt to land on the opposite runway. During the turn, the airplane lost altitude and overshot the runway.
Landing and Damage
The pilot reported that after crossing over the runway, he reduced power to idle and turned the master switch off. The airplane descended rapidly and landed adjacent to the runway in packed snow. The landing was hard on the main landing gear with the right wing low, followed by a slide of approximately 300 feet. The fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage. Additionally, the landing gear, right flap, left wing tip, and all three propeller blades were damaged.
Postaccident Examination
Examination of the engine after the accident revealed that the oil filler cap was not secured to the oil filler neck. The pilot stated that this flight was the first after the oil had been changed by a maintenance facility. He did not check the oil filler cap before the flight because it was not required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved preflight inspection checklist.