20041128033099A

(-23) On 11/28/04 at 1040 PST, a Piper PA-22-108, N4913Z, was damaged while landing in a field after a loss of engine power in the death valley national park, approximately 24 NM NE of Big Pine CA. The pilot, also the registered owner of the airplane, was operating under 14 CFR part 91. The pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. VMC prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot departed bullhead city int'l airport about 0800. The pilot's final destination was the napa county airport, napa, CA. He was planning a fuel stop at the eastern sierra regional airport, bishop, CA. According to the pilot, when he was about 30 miles from bishop, the oil pressure needle was pegged on the high side of the indicator. He closed the throttle and the oil pressure appeared to return the normal. Then the oil pressure fell to zero and the oil temp. Began to rise. The pilot squawked 7700 and tuned his radio to 121.5. He prepared to land on a road, however on short final he could not apply control pressures that would overcome the crosswind condition. He turned the airplane into the wind and landed in a desert field. The main landing gear sheared from the airplane during landing.