A B35 PILOT EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AFTER TAKEOFF AND RETURNED TO HIS DEPARTURE AIRPORT FOR A SAFE LANDING.

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ON AUG/XA/07; I PLANNED A DAY TRIP FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 WITH 3 PAX ABOARD USING 2 GPS'S; LORAN AND VOR; NO FLT PLAN WAS FILED. I DID MY PREFLT AND ADDED 1 QUART OF 20-50 AVIATION OIL TO BRING OIL LEVEL UP TO FULL. EVERYTHING ELSE CHKED OUT OK. I RECEIVED TAXI PERMISSION. DID RUN-UP; OIL PRESSURE WAS FINE; MAGNETOS CHKED FINE; PROP CYCLED TWICE; WAS FINE; ALTERNATOR; ETC; WAS ALL WORKING PROPERLY. PROP SET TO MAX LOW PITCH. RECEIVED PERMISSION FOR TKOF FOR A NW DEP. TKOF WAS NORMAL; 2600 RPM; LIFTED OFF; RETRACTED GEAR; RESET PITCH TO 2200 FOR A CRUISE CLB AT 105 MPH. AT APPROX 7 MI NW; THE ENG COUGHED AND SPUTTERED AND I HEARD A BANG SOUND THEN LOST PWR TO ABOUT 1500 RPM. THE ENG WAS VIBRATING SEVERELY. OIL STARTED POURING OUT OF THE COWL; COVERING THE WINDSHIELD. I THROTTLED BACK TO IDLE; SET UP A GLIDE PITCH; AND RADIOED ZZZ THAT I THOUGHT I HAD A PROP FAILURE AND NEEDED TO PUT IT DOWN. THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY WOULD CLR THE RWYS FOR ME FOR AN EMER LNDG. I RADIOED BACK AND SAID I DIDN'T THINK I COULD MAKE IT BACK TO ZZZ. THEY ASKED MY LOCATION; AND I RESPONDED THAT I WAS OVER A LANDMARK. I GLIDED AT AN IDLE THROTTLE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PUT IT DOWN; BUT THE WINDSHIELD WAS SO COVERED WITH OIL; I COULDN'T SEE OUT ENOUGH TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LAND. I DECIDED TO TRY FULL PWR AND SEE IF I COULD MAKE IT BACK TO ZZZ AIRFIELD. AT THIS TIME I WAS ONLY ABOUT 300 FT AGL. I SET THE PROP TO LOW PITCH FOR MAX PWR; THROTTLED FULL; AND REACHED 1700 RPM. I STOPPED DSNDING AND MANAGED TO CLB AT ABOUT 100 FPM. I RADIOED ZZZ TWR AND TOLD THEM I WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT BACK TO ZZZ. THEY SUGGESTED USING RWY XX; DIRECT IN APCH. I WAS FURTHER W THAN THAT; SO I DECIDED TO USE RWY YY. ONCE I WAS WITHIN A MI; I RADIOED ZZZ TWR AND REQUESTED LNDG ON RWY YY; THEY RESPONDED BY SAYING ANY RWY WAS MINE. ANOTHER PLT WAS FOLLOWING ME; AND ASSISTED IN HELPING ME LINE UP ON THE CTRLINE. I DROPPED GEAR AT THE LAST MIN; FLARED AND MADE A GOOD LNDG. I TAXIED OFF THE RWY; AND CONTACTED GND. GND CTL SENT A TOW TRUCK TO TOW ME BACK TO MY SHADE PORT. THE ASSISTING PLT CAME OVER AND INTRODUCED HIMSELF AS AN A&P. WE OPENED UP THE COWL; AND TO MY SURPRISE; IT WASN'T A PROP PROB; AS THERE WAS A ROD; A ROD CAP; BEARING AND A LOT OF BROKEN METAL SITTING ON TOP OF MY ENG; AND A GIANT HOLE IN THE TOP OF MY CRANKCASE. THE MECH EXAMINED THE BEARING; AND THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNAL AND SAID THAT THEY WERE IN NORMAL SHAPE; INDICATION THAT OILING WAS NOT THE PROB. WITH FURTHER INSPECTION THE MECH INDICATED THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A ROD BOLT FAILURE. THE ENG HAS 382.9 HRS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. OIL WAS CHANGED AT 382.7 HRS; USING 8 QUARTS OF PHILLIPS 66XL 20W50. OIL ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED AT THE SAME TIME AND WAS NORMAL; WITH NO ABNORMAL METAL FOUND. OIL TESTED HAD 25.7 HRS ON IT.