What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Traveling from Ohio to south carolina on an IFR flight plan and about 1.5 hours into flight and 30 minutes from our scheduled fuel stop in elkins NC (kzef),
During normal scan noticed a slight drop in oil pressure and oil temp was below 180 (normally around 195). I notified indy center of the issue and let them know I was
Diverting to the nearest airport, kjfz, which was about 15NM se and that I was going to add some altitude (was at 7K). Indy center cleared me direct to kjfz and gave me
Relative position of airport. Oil pressure continued to drop until engine started running rough and I had gained about 500 ft. a loud bang came from engine and plane started
To shake, shaking so bad audio panel slide out of its tray. Ran through emergency checklist, got it to best glide, and had airport in sight at 5NM, engine still running, but not
Making adequate power to sustain altitude, and had audio panel back in with front seat passenger holding it in place. Declared emergency to indy center and switched to
Kjfz UNICOM and let local traffic know where I was and my plan to land on runway 25. Made the runway and had enough power to taxi it back to ramp. Looks like
Connecting rod on cylinder #4 broke and came through top of engine casing.
As the FAA filed it
TRAVELING FROM OHIO TO SOUTH CAROLINA ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND ABOUT 1.5 HOURS INTO FLIGHT AND 30 MINUTES FROM OUR SCHEDULED FUEL STOP IN ELKINS NC (KZEF),
DURING NORMAL SCAN NOTICED A SLIGHT DROP IN OIL PRESSURE AND OIL TEMP WAS BELOW 180 (NORMALLY AROUND 195). I NOTIFIED INDY CENTER OF THE ISSUE AND LET THEM KNOW I WAS
DIVERTING TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, KJFZ, WHICH WAS ABOUT 15NM SE AND THAT I WAS GOING TO ADD SOME ALTITUDE (WAS AT 7K). INDY CENTER CLEARED ME DIRECT TO KJFZ AND GAVE ME
RELATIVE POSITION OF AIRPORT. OIL PRESSURE CONTINUED TO DROP UNTIL ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND I HAD GAINED ABOUT 500 FT. A LOUD BANG CAME FROM ENGINE AND PLANE STARTED
TO SHAKE, SHAKING SO BAD AUDIO PANEL SLIDE OUT OF ITS TRAY. RAN THROUGH EMERGENCY CHECKLIST, GOT IT TO BEST GLIDE, AND HAD AIRPORT IN SIGHT AT 5NM, ENGINE STILL RUNNING, BUT NOT
MAKING ADEQUATE POWER TO SUSTAIN ALTITUDE, AND HAD AUDIO PANEL BACK IN WITH FRONT SEAT PASSENGER HOLDING IT IN PLACE. DECLARED EMERGENCY TO INDY CENTER AND SWITCHED TO
KJFZ UNICOM AND LET LOCAL TRAFFIC KNOW WHERE I WAS AND MY PLAN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 25. MADE THE RUNWAY AND HAD ENOUGH POWER TO TAXI IT BACK TO RAMP. LOOKS LIKE
CONNECTING ROD ON CYLINDER #4 BROKE AND CAME THROUGH TOP OF ENGINE CASING.