Incident Overview
On October 2, 2016, at approximately 1520 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, registration N5196L, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Clarendon, Texas. The student rated pilot suffered minor injuries. The aircraft was owned by Tohijoco LLC and operated by Coyote Flight under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated under visual flight rules with flight following.
Flight Details
The cross-country flight departed Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA) in Amarillo, Texas, at 1405, en route to Childress Municipal Airport (CDS) in Childress, Texas.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported to the responding FAA inspector that while in cruise flight, the engine lost power, necessitating a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane's wings and firewall were damaged.
Examination Findings
The airplane was transported to the operator's facility for examination under the auspices of an FAA inspector. The engine examination revealed damage consistent with lubrication distress. Further inspection found the metal oil screen pickup fouled with metal, originating from a broken piston pin.
Maintenance History
During the examination, it was discovered that the engine's oil and oil filter had recently been changed. The removed oil filter was examined and found to contain metal. A non-mechanic rated person performed the preventative maintenance, including the oil and oil filter change, prior to the accident. He noticed metal during the oil change but did not consider it an indication of a problem.