What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omittedPilot notes/account:
2/10/2021 Incident
Departed from ksfq to kheg on 2/10/21 VFR initially. Picked up pop up IFR in air as IMC was ahead. I briefed weather on foreflight. While flying south at 9,000 feet I noticed a possible oil pressure reduction during my scan, maybe one needle width initially. Almost immediately, I requested a vector direct wilmington NC and subsequently to kdpl (this was my ?out? In the moment) having identified a higher ceiling and longer runway than other nearest options or continuing south. I remained at 9,000 feet until glide distance to kdpl was assured in the event of engine failure although it was precautionary at this point. I started down through the clouds and executed some turns keeping kdpl within glide distance. I cancelled IFR immediately upon break out below clouds and seeing the airport. I contacted UNICOM and informed traffic of position, intent and possible low oil pressure. I proceeded to make left traffic for rw 05 as I had previously determined best wind and also a grassy area before the runway.
Almost immediately after first contact with UNICOM I notice oil pressure go to zero and I attempted to feather the prop (not sure if it did) and the engine seized, partially covering the windshield with oil, some smoke entered the cockpit and I could see flames through the oil check/fill door area. I informed UNICOM I had fire and was executing an immediate forced landing rw 05. They asked if I wanted fire trucks and I said yes. The rest happened very quickly as I was not sure I could make the runway but I was confident of making the grass. I decided to lower gear and flaps before losing or shutting off electric. Gear and flaps deployed and I opened my side window as well as shutting off electric and fuel. I also managed to get door opened. I was in a hard left descending turn. At this point I was very concerned with maintaining airspeed above 70 knots and adequate to prevent stall/spin. The airplane sink rate was higher than I would have expected but I continued to fly the airplane to the ground and managed somewhat of a flair to a typical-ish grass landing.
As I exited the airplane privacy data omitted ran towards the airplane with a fire extinguisher and after seeing fire in the cowl used the extinguisher to put the fire out. Various fire and rescue people appeared although I was not injured and did not need assistance, thankfully.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT NOTES/ACCOUNT:
2/10/2021 INCIDENT
DEPARTED FROM KSFQ TO KHEG ON 2/10/21 VFR INITIALLY. PICKED UP POP UP IFR IN AIR AS IMC WAS AHEAD. I BRIEFED WEATHER ON FOREFLIGHT. WHILE FLYING SOUTH AT 9,000 FEET I NOTICED A POSSIBLE OIL PRESSURE REDUCTION DURING MY SCAN, MAYBE ONE NEEDLE WIDTH INITIALLY. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I REQUESTED A VECTOR DIRECT WILMINGTON NC AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO KDPL (THIS WAS MY ?OUT? IN THE MOMENT) HAVING IDENTIFIED A HIGHER CEILING AND LONGER RUNWAY THAN OTHER NEAREST OPTIONS OR CONTINUING SOUTH. I REMAINED AT 9,000 FEET UNTIL GLIDE DISTANCE TO KDPL WAS ASSURED IN THE EVENT OF ENGINE FAILURE ALTHOUGH IT WAS PRECAUTIONARY AT THIS POINT. I STARTED DOWN THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND EXECUTED SOME TURNS KEEPING KDPL WITHIN GLIDE DISTANCE. I CANCELLED IFR IMMEDIATELY UPON BREAK OUT BELOW CLOUDS AND SEEING THE AIRPORT. I CONTACTED UNICOM AND INFORMED TRAFFIC OF POSITION, INTENT AND POSSIBLE LOW OIL PRESSURE. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RW 05 AS I HAD PREVIOUSLY DETERMINED BEST WIND AND ALSO A GRASSY AREA BEFORE THE RUNWAY.
ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER FIRST CONTACT WITH UNICOM I NOTICE OIL PRESSURE GO TO ZERO AND I ATTEMPTED TO FEATHER THE PROP (NOT SURE IF IT DID) AND THE ENGINE SEIZED, PARTIALLY COVERING THE WINDSHIELD WITH OIL, SOME SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND I COULD SEE FLAMES THROUGH THE OIL CHECK/FILL DOOR AREA. I INFORMED UNICOM I HAD FIRE AND WAS EXECUTING AN IMMEDIATE FORCED LANDING RW 05. THEY ASKED IF I WANTED FIRE TRUCKS AND I SAID YES. THE REST HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AS I WAS NOT SURE I COULD MAKE THE RUNWAY BUT I WAS CONFIDENT OF MAKING THE GRASS. I DECIDED TO LOWER GEAR AND FLAPS BEFORE LOSING OR SHUTTING OFF ELECTRIC. GEAR AND FLAPS DEPLOYED AND I OPENED MY SIDE WINDOW AS WELL AS SHUTTING OFF ELECTRIC AND FUEL. I ALSO MANAGED TO GET DOOR OPENED. I WAS IN A HARD LEFT DESCENDING TURN. AT THIS POINT I WAS VERY CONCERNED WITH MAINTAINING AIRSPEED ABOVE 70 KNOTS AND ADEQUATE TO PREVENT STALL/SPIN. THE AIRPLANE SINK RATE WAS HIGHER THAN I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED BUT I CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE TO THE GROUND AND MANAGED SOMEWHAT OF A FLAIR TO A TYPICAL-ISH GRASS LANDING.
AS I EXITED THE AIRPLANE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RAN TOWARDS THE AIRPLANE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND AFTER SEEING FIRE IN THE COWL USED THE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. VARIOUS FIRE AND RESCUE PEOPLE APPEARED ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT INJURED AND DID NOT NEED ASSISTANCE, THANKFULLY.
Other reports on N6RH · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.