What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While enroute from bermuda dunes, CA.,(udd) to byron, CA., (C83) at a cruising altitude of 10,500 ft and approximately 15 miles south of naval air station lemore (nlc), the pilot noted a decrease of manifold pressure which was immediately followed by a catastrophic engine failure. The pilot, who was using nlc ATC for flight-following, declared emergency and was vectored to rwy 32L at nlc. Due to the insufficient guide distance, the pilot executed a gear-up landing in a plowed farm field appox 300 yard south of rwy 32L at nlc. The pilot and 2 passengers were uninjured examination of the engine revealed the #4 cylinder and piston had separated from the engine and had exited the engine compartment. The missing cylinder and piston could not be located. Subtantial damage occurred to the firewall, belly and wings.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE ENROUTE FROM BERMUDA DUNES, CA.,(UDD) TO BYRON, CA., (C83) AT A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 10,500 FT AND APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES SOUTH OF NAVAL AIR STATION LEMORE (NLC), THE PILOT NOTED A DECREASE OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT, WHO WAS USING NLC ATC FOR FLIGHT-FOLLOWING, DECLARED EMERGENCY AND WAS VECTORED TO RWY 32L AT NLC. DUE TO THE INSUFFICIENT GUIDE DISTANCE, THE PILOT EXECUTED A GEAR-UP LANDING IN A PLOWED FARM FIELD APPOX 300 YARD SOUTH OF RWY 32L AT NLC. THE PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS WERE UNINJURED EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE #4 CYLINDER AND PISTON HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE AND HAD EXITED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE MISSING CYLINDER AND PISTON COULD NOT BE LOCATED. SUBTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE FIREWALL, BELLY AND WINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.