20060606009459A

(-23) PILOT'S STATEMENT: I, THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DO HEREBY MAKE THIS STATEMENT OF MY OWN FREE WILL. THIS IS A FULL STATEMENT MADE REGARDING MY OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN RANDOLF COUNTY, ARKANSAS ON 6 JUNE 2006 DUE TO AN ENGINE FAILURE. MY ATP# IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND MY CURRENT ADDRESS IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. A PRELIMINARY STATEMENT WAS GIVEN VIA PHONE CALL TO LITTLE ROCK FSDO INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT. THIS IS A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THIS INCIDENT. I LEFT WALKER COUNTY AIRPORT, JASPER, ALABAMA AT APPROXIMATELY 0638 CDT ENROUTE TO A FUEL STOP IN DES PLAINS, MO. I WAS FLYING MY EXPERIMENTAL EAGLE I AIRCRAFT, SN M002 AND N NUMBER N181DM. THE FIRST HOUR AND 45 MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT WERE NORMAL. WINDS AT 4500' OUT OF SOUTH EAST. SKIES WERE GENERALLY CLEAR WITH OCCASIONAL SCATTERED CLOUD COVER AT 10,000 PLUS, IN-FLIGHT VISIBILITY OVER 10 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND 45 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT (4500'/165 MPH INDICATED AND HEADING 309) (0825 CDT) SOME 14 MINUTES FROM MY FIRST FUEL STOP I STARTED TO FEEL A SLIGHT VIBRATION. NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY, JUST A LIGHT BUZZ I COULD FEEL, ALMOST LIKE A PROPELLER SHIFT. I ADJUSTED THE PROP GOVERNOR UP 50 OR SO RPM AND MONITORED ENGINE READING THROUGH MY JPI ENGINE ANALYZER. ALL WAS NORMAL WITH EGT, CHT, DIFFERENCE READINGS AND THE OIL TEMP WAS AT 192 (NORMAL) AND THE PRESSURE AT 68 (NORMAL). THE "BUZZ" LASTED FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 SECONDS FOLLOWED BY SHARPER, MORE PRONOUNCED VIBRATION. I TOLD MY PARTNER WHO WAS SOME 9 MILES TO THE NORTH AND BEHIND ME THAT I HAD A PROBLEM AND WAS HEADING TO THE NEAREST FIELD. MY GPS GAVE ME THE CLOSEST FIELD SE OF MY POSITION AT 21.6 NM. BEFORE I COULD START TO NAVIGATE TO THAT HEADING THE VIBRATION GOT VERY BAD, SO BAD IT WAS SHAKING THE EAGLE VIOLENTLY. I TOLD ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MY PARTNER, THAT I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE MY ENGINE AND WAS TAKING THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS. SOME 45 SECONDS OR SO AFTER THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG OF AN EXPLOSION AND OIL COVERED MY CANOPY, THE ENGINE SEIZED (OIL PRESSURE CONFIRMED AT ZERO) AND THE PROP STOPPED COMPLETELY. NOW I AM AT 4300' MSL AND ABOUT 140 MPH INDICATED. I TELL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THAT I AM GOING IN AND WILL TRY TO MAKE A FIELD JUST TO THE SOUTH OF ME. CONDITIONS WERE VFR AND TERRAIN WAS WOODS AND ROLLING PASTURE FIELDS. I CHOSE A FIELD AND MADE A SHORT APPROACH TO IT. I TOUCHED DOWN LIGHTLY IN A HAY FIELD WITH ABOUT 3 FEET OF HIGH GRASS. I ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET, SLOWED DOWN TO 35 TO 40 MPH. MY WHEEL PANTS CAUGHT A ROCK AND I SKIDDED SOME 30 FEET ON MY NOSE. I SECURED THE FUEL, FINISHED MY EGRESS CHECK LIST AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. I CALLED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ON MY HANDHELD RADIO AND HE DIRECTED ME TO THE NEAREST FARM HOUSE ONE HALF MILE AWAY. ADDRESS OF FARMHOUSE IS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NO ONE HOME, BUT LATER I SECURED A RIDE TO POCAHONTAS AIRPORT WHERE I MET WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND CALLED THE FAA AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT. INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ GOT MY FIRST STATEMENT. LATER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CALLED ME BACK AND SAID INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WOULD MEET WITH ME THE FOLLOWING DAY. HE TOLD ME I COULD REMOVE THE EAGLE FROM THE FIELD AND TAKE SOME PICTURES WHICH ARE ATTACHED AND NOT TO LEAVE AREA UNTIL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD SEEN THE AIRCRAFT. ON WED JUNE 7TH, I MET WITH INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHERE HE EXAMINED MY PILOT AND AIRCRAFT CREDENTIALS. I TOLD HIM I WOULD MAKE THIS STATEMENT WHICH I HAVE NOW DONE. EAGLE TAKEN TO SHOP HERE IN ALABAMA. IT APPEARS THE FAILURE AND EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT OR SOME ELEMENT OF IT. THE ENGINE IS BEING SHIPPED TO AN FAA REPAIR STATION WHERE THEY WILL DISSASSEMBLE AND PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS FAILURE AND HOPEFULLY WHY IT OCCURRED. ENGINE SENT TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT PENN YAN AERO 8007277230 DAMAGE INCURRED WAS ENGINE, TWO PROP BLADES, AND SOME FAIRING DAMAGE AND DAMAGE TO THE GEAR BOX ATTACH AREA. I HAVE NO IDEA AS OF YET TO THE DOLLAR DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AT ALL; I WALKED AWAY FROM THE EAGLE. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL ME.