20100518040169A

Pilot departed from colusa airport on rwy 13 at approximately 1645 PDT after having made two full stop landings. He climbed to 4500 ft. and headed towards knights landing. Cruise power was 2500 RPM and 21" mp and fuel was leaned to 75 degrees rich of peak which resulted in a fuel flow of 13.4 gallons per hour. After 10 minutes he made a northbound turn and slowly descended to 3000 ft. he leveled off at 3000 ft. and power was adjusted to 2500 RPM and 22" mp with a fule flow of 14 gallons per hour. Everything looked normal. After about 15 minutes of cruise flight in the area of arbuckle golf course he heard a loud bang and the engine failed indicated by oil streaming from the engine cowling. A engine out glide was established and the pilot looked for a place to land. The terrain underneath the aircraft was mostly orchards. The pilot remembered a private airstrip and interstate 5 just east of him and initiated a turn towards the airstrip. He then realized he would not make the airstrip. He realized that he had to put the aircraft down in the orchard. He turned northbound to line up between the rows of trees. He lowered the landing grar to help cushion the landing. He kept the aircraft at treetop level until the aircraft stalled. The aircraft came to a stop between the rows of trees. He exited the aircraft unhurt.