What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated that on slow descent into kcrq, his engine started running rough. He checked mixture and throttle settings. He then checked his engine monitoring system, all temps normal, and checked the magnetos. No improvement in engine performance. A minute later engine roughness increased and pilot radioed kcrq tower and reported rough running engine. Alternator low voltage indicator lit up. Pilot reset alternator twice, indicator still lit, engine is still producing power but getting worse. Pilot saw two flash explosions from left prop area, light oil mist enters cabin, none on wind screen. Engine shuts down completely, pilot landed on southbound 5 freeway. Pilot touched down hard collapsing the nose gear. Pilot and passenger sustained no injuries. Aircraft had significant damage. Nose gear was completely collapsed, propeller was significantly damaged, engine had 2 holes in the top, unable to see bottom of engine, fuselage was bent, and fire wall was breached.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THAT ON SLOW DESCENT INTO KCRQ, HIS ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. HE CHECKED MIXTURE AND THROTTLE SETTINGS. HE THEN CHECKED HIS ENGINE MONITORING SYSTEM, ALL TEMPS NORMAL, AND CHECKED THE MAGNETOS. NO IMPROVEMENT IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE. A MINUTE LATER ENGINE ROUGHNESS INCREASED AND PILOT RADIOED KCRQ TOWER AND REPORTED ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. ALTERNATOR LOW VOLTAGE INDICATOR LIT UP. PILOT RESET ALTERNATOR TWICE, INDICATOR STILL LIT, ENGINE IS STILL PRODUCING POWER BUT GETTING WORSE. PILOT SAW TWO FLASH EXPLOSIONS FROM LEFT PROP AREA, LIGHT OIL MIST ENTERS CABIN, NONE ON WIND SCREEN. ENGINE SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY, PILOT LANDED ON SOUTHBOUND 5 FREEWAY. PILOT TOUCHED DOWN HARD COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. AIRCRAFT HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. NOSE GEAR WAS COMPLETELY COLLAPSED, PROPELLER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED, ENGINE HAD 2 HOLES IN THE TOP, UNABLE TO SEE BOTTOM OF ENGINE, FUSELAGE WAS BENT, AND FIRE WALL WAS BREACHED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.