PLT OF A SMA AMATEUR BUILT ACFT MADE DOWNWIND FORCED LNDG BACK AT THE ARPT DEPARTED DUE TO ENG FAILURE.

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AT APPROX XX00 THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED BUCKEYE ARPT ON A XCOUNTRY FLT TO A PVT FIELD 23 MI W OF WICKENBURG. THE FLT LASTED APPROX 50 MINS AND WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT APPROX XY00 HRS THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED THE ARPT FOR THE RETURN FLT. ENG START; RUN UP AND OP AT TKOF WERE NORMAL. APPROX 5 MINS INTO THE FLT; THE ENG STARTED LOSING PWR. THE PLT WAS TRANSFERRING FUEL AT THE TIME. THE FUEL TRANSFER WAS TERMINATED AND THE PLT CHANGES THROTTLE SETTING TO TRY TO FIND A SETTING THAT WOULD PROVIDE THRUST TO NO AVAIL. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS CHKED FOR PROPER POS AND FOUND TO BE IN THE 'BOTH' POS. AT THE TIME OF THE PWR LOSS; THE ACFT WAS APPROX 1200 FT AGL. THE PLT WAS FACED WITH AN OFF FIELD LNDG IN HOSTILE TERRAIN OR TRYING TO RETURN TO THE ARPT FOR A DOWNWIND LNDG. THE PLT TURNED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ARPT. FORTUNATELY; DUE TO THE STRONG WIND; HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE THE FIELD UNDER CTL BUT DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE END OF THE RWY WITH ENOUGH ENERGY TO PERFORM A NORMAL FLAIR. THE ENG AT THIS POINT WAS STILL RUNNING BUT NOT PROVIDING ANY USABLE THRUST. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE RWY ABOUT 5 FT FROM THE END AT A HIGH SINK RATE. ACFT WAS MODERATELY DAMAGED BUT IS REPAIRABLE. THE PLT AND PAX WERE NOT HURT. THE ENG WAS REMOVED AND INSPECTED BY AN AUTH REPAIR FACILITY. THE REAR ROD BEARING WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAILED ON THE CRANKSHAFT END. THE SYNOPSIS IS THAT THE ROD FAILED CAUSING INTERNAL ENG TEMPS TO SOAR CONSEQUENTLY CAUSING A SEIZURE OF THE PWR PLANT. CAUSE OF THE BEARING FAILURE IS UNKNOWN. THE ASSOCIATED BEARING ON THE OTHER ROD SHOWED NO SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION. OVER 10000 HRS TOTAL TIME; 1800 ASEL; 140 IN TYPE.