What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During cruise flight, pilot heard/felt a couple of bangs, engine RPM increased to 4000 and quit. Pilot elected to attempt landing at Anderson field (S97), Brewster, WA. A/c did not clear the last row of trees in orchard, about 350 feet west of S97 runway 07. A/c sustained substantial damage to wings, lower fuselage and RH horizontal stabilizer. There was no post accident fire and no personal injuries sustained. A/c was hoisted, landing gear extended, and a/c towed to ramp area on S97. Post accident engine tear-down determined that the propshaft reduction planetary gear system splines had failed disconnecting the crankshaft from the propshaft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, PILOT HEARD/FELT A COUPLE OF BANGS, ENGINE RPM INCREASED TO 4000 AND QUIT. PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT LANDING AT ANDERSON FIELD (S97), BREWSTER, WA. A/C DID NOT CLEAR THE LAST ROW OF TREES IN ORCHARD, ABOUT 350 FEET WEST OF S97 RUNWAY 07. A/C SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO WINGS, LOWER FUSELAGE AND RH HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THERE WAS NO POST ACCIDENT FIRE AND NO PERSONAL INJURIES SUSTAINED. A/C WAS HOISTED, LANDING GEAR EXTENDED, AND A/C TOWED TO RAMP AREA ON S97. POST ACCIDENT ENGINE TEAR-DOWN DETERMINED THAT THE PROPSHAFT REDUCTION PLANETARY GEAR SYSTEM SPLINES HAD FAILED DISCONNECTING THE CRANKSHAFT FROM THE PROPSHAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.