What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On the evening of July 20th, 2007, the pilot privacy data omitted took off from his residence at privacy data omitted with two passengers on board for a short sightseeing trip. They landed at branch county memorial airport in Coldwater, MI. For fuel. The pilot said he added around 22 gals of 100LL. Prior to departing he did his preflight check list and did not detect any problems. The aircraft departed on runway 7 with the intent of returning to clear lake, IN. After turning south at about 1800' MSL the engine suddenly started to increase RPM rapidly. According to the pilot the engine made a loud noise like a backfire and then quit running. He said he immediately started to look for a place to land. At that moment he spotted a soybean field just below and to the west. He said the aircraft was coming in fairly fast and landed it with the gear retracted. The airplane skidded approximately 150 to 200 yards before coming to rest. The pilot and passengers exited the aircraft expeditiously without incident or injury. An on-site investigation revealed minor damage to the aircraft fuselage/hull and minor damage to the sponsons located on the wings. The logbooks for aircraft N826WR revealed the airframe and engine were annually inspected January 10, 2007. The engine was sent to poplar grove airmotive. The cause of the failure was determined to be a connecting rod bearing failure. The recommended tbo for the Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 according to the Lycoming service instructions no. 1009AK is 2000 hrs. The engine had approximately 2035.1 hrs on it at the time of failure. In a telephone conversation with the chief inspector it was determined that an m or d report will be filed with the FAA.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON THE EVENING OF JULY 20TH, 2007, THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OFF FROM HIS RESIDENCE AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD FOR A SHORT SIGHTSEEING TRIP. THEY LANDED AT BRANCH COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT IN COLDWATER, MI. FOR FUEL. THE PILOT SAID HE ADDED AROUND 22 GALS OF 100LL. PRIOR TO DEPARTING HE DID HIS PREFLIGHT CHECK LIST AND DID NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEMS. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON RUNWAY 7 WITH THE INTENT OF RETURNING TO CLEAR LAKE, IN. AFTER TURNING SOUTH AT ABOUT 1800' MSL THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED TO INCREASE RPM RAPIDLY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE LIKE A BACKFIRE AND THEN QUIT RUNNING. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LAND. AT THAT MOMENT HE SPOTTED A SOYBEAN FIELD JUST BELOW AND TO THE WEST. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMING IN FAIRLY FAST AND LANDED IT WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 200 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT EXPEDITIOUSLY WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY. AN ON-SITE INVESTIGATION REVEALED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE/HULL AND MINOR DAMAGE TO THE SPONSONS LOCATED ON THE WINGS. THE LOGBOOKS FOR AIRCRAFT N826WR REVEALED THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE WERE ANNUALLY INSPECTED JANUARY 10, 2007. THE ENGINE WAS SENT TO POPLAR GROVE AIRMOTIVE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILURE. THE RECOMMENDED TBO FOR THE LYCOMING IO-540-C4B5 ACCORDING TO THE LYCOMING SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS NO. 1009AK IS 2000 HRS. THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 2035.1 HRS ON IT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF INSPECTOR IT WAS DETERMINED THAT AN M OR D REPORT WILL BE FILED WITH THE FAA.