What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
In route from klch, lake charles regional to T82, gillespie county, while at cruise altitude, the pilot reported a loud bang followed by a very rough running engine and lots of smoke. The pilot declared an emergency through austin TRACON, requesting an emergency descent and the closest airport. The pilot reported breaking through the cloud cover at approximately 1000' AGL with Fayette Regional Air Center (3T5) in sight. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot landed the aircraft in a field approximately 1500' from the approach end of runway 16 at 3T5. During landing, at approximately 375 yards, the aircraft nose gear sheared off. The aircraft veered to the left causing the right wing to dip into the muddy field. When the right wing dipped, compression damage occurred at the point where the right wing mounts to the fuselage. Post examination also revealed 2 large holes in the top of the engine case above the #3 and #4 cylinders. The #4 piston wrist pin was found lodged in the front of the left hand nose cowl and the #4 piston rod lodged in the front of the right hand nose cowl. Several pieces of the fractured case were found in and around the engine compartment and between other cylinders. The propeller indicated zero thrust at the time of impact. The records indicated the aircraft was within current annual inspection and the IFR certification for the aircraft was current. The pilots most current bfr was 01-10-2014 and was also current.
As the FAA filed it
IN ROUTE FROM KLCH, LAKE CHARLES REGIONAL TO T82, GILLESPIE COUNTY, WHILE AT CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE PILOT REPORTED A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY A VERY ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND LOTS OF SMOKE. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY THROUGH AUSTIN TRACON, REQUESTING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT AND THE CLOSEST AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED BREAKING THROUGH THE CLOUD COVER AT APPROXIMATELY 1000' AGL WITH FAYETTE REGIONAL AIR CENTER (3T5) IN SIGHT. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1500' FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 16 AT 3T5. DURING LANDING, AT APPROXIMATELY 375 YARDS, THE AIRCRAFT NOSE GEAR SHEARED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT CAUSING THE RIGHT WING TO DIP INTO THE MUDDY FIELD. WHEN THE RIGHT WING DIPPED, COMPRESSION DAMAGE OCCURRED AT THE POINT WHERE THE RIGHT WING MOUNTS TO THE FUSELAGE. POST EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED 2 LARGE HOLES IN THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CASE ABOVE THE #3 AND #4 CYLINDERS. THE #4 PISTON WRIST PIN WAS FOUND LODGED IN THE FRONT OF THE LEFT HAND NOSE COWL AND THE #4 PISTON ROD LODGED IN THE FRONT OF THE RIGHT HAND NOSE COWL. SEVERAL PIECES OF THE FRACTURED CASE WERE FOUND IN AND AROUND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BETWEEN OTHER CYLINDERS. THE PROPELLER INDICATED ZERO THRUST AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE RECORDS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION AND THE IFR CERTIFICATION FOR THE AIRCRAFT WAS CURRENT. THE PILOTS MOST CURRENT BFR WAS 01-10-2014 AND WAS ALSO CURRENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.