What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Mr. Christie's airplane (N921DZ) was returned to service after maintenance on 12/22/10. Mr. Christie flew his aircraft from van bortel's at arlington, TX (where the maintenance was performed) to cleburne municipal airport for fuel and then on to his home airfield, bourland field (50F). On 12/23/10, while preparing for his trip to deer valley, Arizona (dvt) Mr. Christie added one quart of oil to the engine and called the mechanic who worked on his aircraft and asked if the mechanic had serviced the engine oil. The mechanic reportedly said he could not remember doing so. On 12/24/10, Mr. Christie departed 50F on an IFR flight to dvt. While climbing from 6,000 feet to 16,000 feet, Mr. Christie noticed a smell of burning oil, the climb rate had diminished, the manifold pressure was low and that the engine oil pressure had dropped from its normal range of 45 PSI to approximately 8 PSI. Mr. Christie requested a descent and vectors for mineral wells airport (mwl). At 3,000 feet he was directed by ATC to level off, when he added power to do so, the engine quit. At this time, Mr. Christie told ATC that he would not be able to reach mwl and he declared an emergency. His airspeed was decreasing so he disconnected the autopilot while still IFR and descended to VFR conditions. Mr. Christie landed in a pasture breaking the nose gear off and damaging the propeller, with no other apparent damage nor injuries to himself.
As the FAA filed it
MR. CHRISTIE'S AIRPLANE (N921DZ) WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AFTER MAINTENANCE ON 12/22/10. MR. CHRISTIE FLEW HIS AIRCRAFT FROM VAN BORTEL'S AT ARLINGTON, TX (WHERE THE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED) TO CLEBURNE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT FOR FUEL AND THEN ON TO HIS HOME AIRFIELD, BOURLAND FIELD (50F). ON 12/23/10, WHILE PREPARING FOR HIS TRIP TO DEER VALLEY, ARIZONA (DVT) MR. CHRISTIE ADDED ONE QUART OF OIL TO THE ENGINE AND CALLED THE MECHANIC WHO WORKED ON HIS AIRCRAFT AND ASKED IF THE MECHANIC HAD SERVICED THE ENGINE OIL. THE MECHANIC REPORTEDLY SAID HE COULD NOT REMEMBER DOING SO. ON 12/24/10, MR. CHRISTIE DEPARTED 50F ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO DVT. WHILE CLIMBING FROM 6,000 FEET TO 16,000 FEET, MR. CHRISTIE NOTICED A SMELL OF BURNING OIL, THE CLIMB RATE HAD DIMINISHED, THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE WAS LOW AND THAT THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE HAD DROPPED FROM ITS NORMAL RANGE OF 45 PSI TO APPROXIMATELY 8 PSI. MR. CHRISTIE REQUESTED A DESCENT AND VECTORS FOR MINERAL WELLS AIRPORT (MWL). AT 3,000 FEET HE WAS DIRECTED BY ATC TO LEVEL OFF, WHEN HE ADDED POWER TO DO SO, THE ENGINE QUIT. AT THIS TIME, MR. CHRISTIE TOLD ATC THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REACH MWL AND HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. HIS AIRSPEED WAS DECREASING SO HE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT WHILE STILL IFR AND DESCENDED TO VFR CONDITIONS. MR. CHRISTIE LANDED IN A PASTURE BREAKING THE NOSE GEAR OFF AND DAMAGING THE PROPELLER, WITH NO OTHER APPARENT DAMAGE NOR INJURIES TO HIMSELF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.