What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) This was the first flight conducted since the annual inspection was completed on March 2, 2005. During the annual inspection the #4 cylinder and prop governor were replaced. During the flight, the pilot and passenger described hearing a whining and rattling noise. The engine then knocked and lost power, the prop came to an abrupt stop, (engine quit). The pilot attempted to restart the engine but the starter would not turn the propeller. The aircraft made an off airport landing. During the landing the right wing hit a tree causing substantial damage to the aircraft. Inspection of the oil dipstick revealed no oil showing. During partial engine teardown it was noted that there was oil residue around the prop governor leading down the accessory case. There was also a significant amount of oil on the bottom of the aircraft fuselage. The accessory case was removed which revealed the number 4 connecting rod was broken. The prop governor was removed and it was noted that the gasket stack-up did not comply with Lycoming si 1438. There was approximately one to one and one half quarts of oil remaining in the engine. The oil drain quick drain was in place and was not leaking.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT CONDUCTED SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED ON MARCH 2, 2005. DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION THE #4 CYLINDER AND PROP GOVERNOR WERE REPLACED. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER DESCRIBED HEARING A WHINING AND RATTLING NOISE. THE ENGINE THEN KNOCKED AND LOST POWER, THE PROP CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP, (ENGINE QUIT). THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT THE STARTER WOULD NOT TURN THE PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING. DURING THE LANDING THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION OF THE OIL DIPSTICK REVEALED NO OIL SHOWING. DURING PARTIAL ENGINE TEARDOWN IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS OIL RESIDUE AROUND THE PROP GOVERNOR LEADING DOWN THE ACCESSORY CASE. THERE WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL ON THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE. THE ACCESSORY CASE WAS REMOVED WHICH REVEALED THE NUMBER 4 CONNECTING ROD WAS BROKEN. THE PROP GOVERNOR WAS REMOVED AND IT WAS NOTED THAT THE GASKET STACK-UP DID NOT COMPLY WITH LYCOMING SI 1438. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE TO ONE AND ONE HALF QUARTS OF OIL REMAINING IN THE ENGINE. THE OIL DRAIN QUICK DRAIN WAS IN PLACE AND WAS NOT LEAKING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.