What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During cruise climb while passing through 3,500 MSL the pilot noticed no oil pressure. The pilot executed a 180 degree turn to return to the departure airport of Selma, AL. During the turn at full power the RPM went from 2500 to 1200. The engine subsequently failed with an oil leak obscuring the pilots forward vision. Montgomery approach gave continuous distance and recommended vectors for Selma airport. Aircraft landed 2 miles short of the intended-airport landing area, struck several small trees just prior to touch down in an upright position. (.4) on July 2, 2000, about 2052 CDT, a Gulfstream American AA5A, N26937, registered to an invidual, made a forced landing in trees near Selma, AL., following loss of engine power, while on a title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorolical conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The a/c received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from Selma, AL. A few minutes before the accident. The pilot stated he was flying from Selma, AL., to monroeville, AL. After takeoff from Selma, while climbing through 3,500 ft., he noticed the engine oil pressure was on zero. He initiated a turn back to Selma, and in the turn, the engine lost power, dropping to about 1,200 RPM, and he noticed oil on the windshield. As he approached the airport, he realized he would not make it to the runway, and he turned toward a road, for a landing. He could not make the road, and elected to alnd the a/c in trees. Postcrash examination of the a/c and engine by an FAA inspector showed that upon removal of the propellor and forward (.4) cowling, it was observed that the engine front crankshaft seal was not in place and was lying on top of the alternator. Upon removal of the no.2 cylinder it was observed that the no. 1 and no. 2 connecting rods had separated from the crankshaft, had signs of extremely high temperature, and had damaged the crankcase. Upon removal of the no. 4 cylinder, it was observed that the no. 3 connecting rod showed signs of high temperature. The inspector stated that the damage in the engine that he observed was consistent with engine oil starvation. Logbook records showed the engine was overhauled about 280 flight hours before the accident. About 158 flight hours after overhaul and 122 flight hours before the accident the engine fron crankshaft seal was replaced. (Logbook pages are an attachment to this report)
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING CRUISE CLIMB WHILE PASSING THROUGH 3,500 MSL THE PILOT NOTICED NO OIL PRESSURE. THE PILOT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT OF SELMA, AL. DURING THE TURN AT FULL POWER THE RPM WENT FROM 2500 TO 1200. THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED WITH AN OIL LEAK OBSCURING THE PILOTS FORWARD VISION. MONTGOMERY APPROACH GAVE CONTINUOUS DISTANCE AND RECOMMENDED VECTORS FOR SELMA AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT LANDED 2 MILES SHORT OF THE INTENDED-AIRPORT LANDING AREA, STRUCK SEVERAL SMALL TREES JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. (.4) ON JULY 2, 2000, ABOUT 2052 CDT, A GULFSTREAM AMERICAN AA5A, N26937, REGISTERED TO AN INVIDUAL, MADE A FORCED LANDING IN TREES NEAR SELMA, AL., FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SELMA, AL. A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS FLYING FROM SELMA, AL., TO MONROEVILLE, AL. AFTER TAKEOFF FROM SELMA, WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 3,500 FT., HE NOTICED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WAS ON ZERO. HE INITIATED A TURN BACK TO SELMA, AND IN THE TURN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, DROPPING TO ABOUT 1,200 RPM, AND HE NOTICED OIL ON THE WINDSHIELD. AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT, HE REALIZED HE WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY, AND HE TURNED TOWARD A ROAD, FOR A LANDING. HE COULD NOT MAKE THE ROAD, AND ELECTED TO ALND THE A/C IN TREES. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE A/C AND ENGINE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR SHOWED THAT UPON REMOVAL OF THE PROPELLOR AND FORWARD (.4) COWLING, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE ENGINE FRONT CRANKSHAFT SEAL WAS NOT IN PLACE AND WAS LYING ON TOP OF THE ALTERNATOR. UPON REMOVAL OF THE NO.2 CYLINDER IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE NO. 1 AND NO. 2 CONNECTING RODS HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT, HAD SIGNS OF EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURE, AND HAD DAMAGED THE CRANKCASE. UPON REMOVAL OF THE NO. 4 CYLINDER, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE NO. 3 CONNECTING ROD SHOWED SIGNS OF HIGH TEMPERATURE. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE THAT HE OBSERVED WAS CONSISTENT WITH ENGINE OIL STARVATION. LOGBOOK RECORDS SHOWED THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED ABOUT 280 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ABOUT 158 FLIGHT HOURS AFTER OVERHAUL AND 122 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE FRON CRANKSHAFT SEAL WAS REPLACED. (LOGBOOK PAGES ARE AN ATTACHMENT TO THIS REPORT)
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.