What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
From FAA form 8020-9 dated 12/3/2020 at 1745Z.
Description: N291TS reported engine failure north of Keizer and looking for a field to land in. Marion county dispatch notified. Aircraft landed in field 6.8 sm north of salem airport. Additional aircraft in the area were able to assist in locating aircraft. Emergency services updated on location. (privacy data omitted). Weather data: 1755Z 120/04KT 10SM clr 03/01 A3033.
Interview with pilot in command conducted via telephone on 12/03/2020 at 19:04Z was conducted with FAA regional operations center and NTSB investigator. Flight was conducted as a 14 CFR part 91 instructional flight with a qualified flight instructor on board. The aircraft departed independence state aiport enroute to aurora state airport at 3,500? MSL. Just north of Mcnary field (ksle) the smell of oil and smoke entered the cockpit. A check of the engine oil pressure guage indicated zero oil pressure. The aircraft turned back toward 7S5 just prior to the engine failing. The pilot and flight instructor selected a forced landing location and successfully executed a landing in a field with minimal aircraft damage and no injuries.
The aircraft was recovered to privacy data omitted the independence state airport (7S5). Engine oil was present on the right side and lower portion of the aircraft fuselage. Upon removal of the engine cowlings, it was determined that the aircraft starter motor was loose. The starter had backed out of the engine case causing the loss of engine oil and seizure of the engine. Starter mounting hardware was found in the lower engine cowling.
As the FAA filed it
FROM FAA FORM 8020-9 DATED 12/3/2020 AT 1745Z.
DESCRIPTION: N291TS REPORTED ENGINE FAILURE NORTH OF KEIZER AND LOOKING FOR A FIELD TO LAND IN. MARION COUNTY DISPATCH NOTIFIED. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN FIELD 6.8 SM NORTH OF SALEM AIRPORT. ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA WERE ABLE TO ASSIST IN LOCATING AIRCRAFT. EMERGENCY SERVICES UPDATED ON LOCATION. (^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^). WEATHER DATA: 1755Z 120/04KT 10SM CLR 03/01 A3033.
INTERVIEW WITH PILOT IN COMMAND CONDUCTED VIA TELEPHONE ON 12/03/2020 AT 19:04Z WAS CONDUCTED WITH FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER AND NTSB INVESTIGATOR. FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WITH A QUALIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED INDEPENDENCE STATE AIPORT ENROUTE TO AURORA STATE AIRPORT AT 3,500? MSL. JUST NORTH OF MCNARY FIELD (KSLE) THE SMELL OF OIL AND SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. A CHECK OF THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE GUAGE INDICATED ZERO OIL PRESSURE. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED BACK TOWARD 7S5 JUST PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILING. THE PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SELECTED A FORCED LANDING LOCATION AND SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED A LANDING IN A FIELD WITH MINIMAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE INDEPENDENCE STATE AIRPORT (7S5). ENGINE OIL WAS PRESENT ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND LOWER PORTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE. UPON REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE COWLINGS, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STARTER MOTOR WAS LOOSE. THE STARTER HAD BACKED OUT OF THE ENGINE CASE CAUSING THE LOSS OF ENGINE OIL AND SEIZURE OF THE ENGINE. STARTER MOUNTING HARDWARE WAS FOUND IN THE LOWER ENGINE COWLING.