What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)While in cruise flight at 8,500 feet MSL, the pilot reported that he observed his oil pressure gauge 'indicating at or near zero.' He stated that he called ATC and began looking for a place to land. He then noticed that the 'oil temperature had begun to rise and the engine was running slightly rougher.' As he approached a highway on which he planned to land, 'the prop governor ceased to regulate the engine RPM and the engine begain to smell really hot.' On landing roll, the pilot stated that 'a gust of wind caused me to depart the left side of the road and the airplane subsequently impacted several sandy knolls.' Postimpact examination of the engine revealed an aluminum ball in the number four cylinder forward piston pin bore. Investigators stated that 'this was the result of the piston pin plug working in the bore for an extended period of time.' This would account for metal particles throughout the oil system and a rub mark on the interior of the cylinder wall. The oil journal leading to the number two cylinder was found with metal particles emanating from it and the number two and number three connecting rod bearings showed significant damage. (-23) on may 9, 1997 at 1520 MDT a Mooney M20C owned & operated by bryan burns, privacy data omitted , crashed during a forced landing due to loss of oil pressure at torrreon, NM while on a pleasure flight. VMC prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The private pilot was uninjured, the passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated at coronado airport on may 9, 1997 at 1450 MDT.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 8,500 FEET MSL, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED HIS OIL PRESSURE GAUGE 'INDICATING AT OR NEAR ZERO.' HE STATED THAT HE CALLED ATC AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAND. HE THEN NOTICED THAT THE 'OIL TEMPERATURE HAD BEGUN TO RISE AND THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING SLIGHTLY ROUGHER.' AS HE APPROACHED A HIGHWAY ON WHICH HE PLANNED TO LAND, 'THE PROP GOVERNOR CEASED TO REGULATE THE ENGINE RPM AND THE ENGINE BEGAIN TO SMELL REALLY HOT.' ON LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT STATED THAT 'A GUST OF WIND CAUSED ME TO DEPART THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED SEVERAL SANDY KNOLLS.' POSTIMPACT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED AN ALUMINUM BALL IN THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER FORWARD PISTON PIN BORE. INVESTIGATORS STATED THAT 'THIS WAS THE RESULT OF THE PISTON PIN PLUG WORKING IN THE BORE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.' THIS WOULD ACCOUNT FOR METAL PARTICLES THROUGHOUT THE OIL SYSTEM AND A RUB MARK ON THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDER WALL. THE OIL JOURNAL LEADING TO THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER WAS FOUND WITH METAL PARTICLES EMANATING FROM IT AND THE NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. (-23) ON MAY 9, 1997 AT 1520 MDT A MOONEY M20C OWNED & OPERATED BY BRYAN BURNS, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ , CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING DUE TO LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE AT TORRREON, NM WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT. VMC PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS UNINJURED, THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT CORONADO AIRPORT ON MAY 9, 1997 AT 1450 MDT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.