What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Engine began running rough during climb out, pilot turned back to airport. After turn engine quit. Pilot landed on dirt road short of runway. Wind struck tree and spun aircraft 180 degrees before coming to rest against another tree. Both wings sustained heavy damage. The pilot received no injuries. Initial inspection revealed engine siezed, number one cylinder connecting rod separated and broke through engine sump and was laying on lower engine cowl. The vacuum pump was found loose. The upper outbd nut was missing and the lower outbd nut was finger tight. The vacuum pump was a new style sigma tech piston pump. It appears that to obtain sufficient clearance from engine mount the pump was installed with two home made gaskets made from engine baffle material.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH DURING CLIMB OUT, PILOT TURNED BACK TO AIRPORT. AFTER TURN ENGINE QUIT. PILOT LANDED ON DIRT ROAD SHORT OF RUNWAY. WIND STRUCK TREE AND SPUN AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO REST AGAINST ANOTHER TREE. BOTH WINGS SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES. INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALED ENGINE SIEZED, NUMBER ONE CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD SEPARATED AND BROKE THROUGH ENGINE SUMP AND WAS LAYING ON LOWER ENGINE COWL. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS FOUND LOOSE. THE UPPER OUTBD NUT WAS MISSING AND THE LOWER OUTBD NUT WAS FINGER TIGHT. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS A NEW STYLE SIGMA TECH PISTON PUMP. IT APPEARS THAT TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FROM ENGINE MOUNT THE PUMP WAS INSTALLED WITH TWO HOME MADE GASKETS MADE FROM ENGINE BAFFLE MATERIAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.