What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) A Piper PA-32-300, N646RM, departed naples, FL (apf) enroute to ashville, NC (avl) on VFR flight following plan. Climbing through approximately 5,500 feet the pilot stated he started to experience a rough running engine. The rough running engine was followed by strong vibrations then shaking. Shortly afterwards the pilot stated that he saw oil coming from the top of the cowling and covering his windshield. The pilot declared an emergency and was given ATC assistance to land at ft. Myers international (rsw). The aircraft impacted a grove of cypress trees and came to rest approximately 1 mile east of the airport. Further investigation revealed an approximate two inch hole in the top of the left side of the engine case.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) A PIPER PA-32-300, N646RM, DEPARTED NAPLES, FL (APF) ENROUTE TO ASHVILLE, NC (AVL) ON VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING PLAN. CLIMBING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 5,500 FEET THE PILOT STATED HE STARTED TO EXPERIENCE A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE WAS FOLLOWED BY STRONG VIBRATIONS THEN SHAKING. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW OIL COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE COWLING AND COVERING HIS WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS GIVEN ATC ASSISTANCE TO LAND AT FT. MYERS INTERNATIONAL (RSW). THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A GROVE OF CYPRESS TREES AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN APPROXIMATE TWO INCH HOLE IN THE TOP OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE CASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.