What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 04, 2017 at 09:17 aircraft N51FB crashed short of the runway at Goodyear Airport Arizona (kgyr), while attempting to land. The aircraft experienced a fire in the engine compartment that was quickly extinguished by airport employees. The pilot stated that he felt minor vibration upon take-off from gyr that he initially believed to be landing gear tire rotation. After realizing the vibration to be more serious he elected to return to the field. While attempting to land he noted that the engine oil temperature was high and the cockpit was getting hot. Prior to reaching the runway the aircraft experienced a loss of power crashing short of the runway. There were no injuries resulting from the accident. Upon inspection of the aircraft and engine it was found that there were two holes in the engine block resulting in significant engine oil loss. The holes were determined to be caused by a piston connecting rod that failed and broke through the engine. The records of maintenance showed the engine oil to have been changed on April 30, 2017 and within the oil pan, still existed, a substantial amount of oil. The actual cause of the connecting rod failure is unknown.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 04, 2017 AT 09:17 AIRCRAFT N51FB CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AT GOODYEAR AIRPORT ARIZONA (KGYR), WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY AIRPORT EMPLOYEES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE FELT MINOR VIBRATION UPON TAKE-OFF FROM GYR THAT HE INITIALLY BELIEVED TO BE LANDING GEAR TIRE ROTATION. AFTER REALIZING THE VIBRATION TO BE MORE SERIOUS HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND HE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE WAS HIGH AND THE COCKPIT WAS GETTING HOT. PRIOR TO REACHING THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER CRASHING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES RESULTING FROM THE ACCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WERE TWO HOLES IN THE ENGINE BLOCK RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT ENGINE OIL LOSS. THE HOLES WERE DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY A PISTON CONNECTING ROD THAT FAILED AND BROKE THROUGH THE ENGINE. THE RECORDS OF MAINTENANCE SHOWED THE ENGINE OIL TO HAVE BEEN CHANGED ON APRIL 30, 2017 AND WITHIN THE OIL PAN, STILL EXISTED, A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OIL. THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE CONNECTING ROD FAILURE IS UNKNOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.