What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was enroute to ksmo from khmt in cruise flight in the area 5-10 miles northwest of Fullerton airport when the engine began vibrating and making unusual noises. Moments later the aircraft windshield became covered with engine oil and the pilot started looking for an appropriate landing area. Aircraft position was approximately between the san gabriel valley airport (formerly el monte airport) and Fullerton Municipal Airport, pilot being familiar with Fullerton airport he decided to alter course toward Fullerton airport. As the pilot changed direction the engine began loosing power and stopped. Pilot configured best glide ratio and landed at Fullerton airport without incident. Airport operations met the aircraft at the taxiway and assisted pilot with towing the aircraft to tie down area. Upon investigation it was discovered the engine experienced a failure of the number 4 cylinder connecting rod which separated from the engine crankshaft distributing debris throughout the engine crankcase creating a large hole in the upper engine crankcase and the engine oil pan. Cause of the connecting rod failure has yet to be determined. Assistance from the engine manufacturer has been requested and is not complete at the time of this report. Report will be amended should the cause be determined. This engine was last overhauled in 1975 at 2421.00 engine total time. Engine has accumulated 1229 hours since overhaul in 1975. Engine total time since new 3650.00 hours. Engine manufacturer's recommended overhaul time is 2000 hours or 12 years. This engine is within the recommended 2000 hour requirement but exceeds the recommended 12 year period.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE TO KSMO FROM KHMT IN CRUISE FLIGHT IN THE AREA 5-10 MILES NORTHWEST OF FULLERTON AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN VIBRATING AND MAKING UNUSUAL NOISES. MOMENTS LATER THE AIRCRAFT WINDSHIELD BECAME COVERED WITH ENGINE OIL AND THE PILOT STARTED LOOKING FOR AN APPROPRIATE LANDING AREA. AIRCRAFT POSITION WAS APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY AIRPORT (FORMERLY EL MONTE AIRPORT) AND FULLERTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PILOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH FULLERTON AIRPORT HE DECIDED TO ALTER COURSE TOWARD FULLERTON AIRPORT. AS THE PILOT CHANGED DIRECTION THE ENGINE BEGAN LOOSING POWER AND STOPPED. PILOT CONFIGURED BEST GLIDE RATIO AND LANDED AT FULLERTON AIRPORT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AIRPORT OPERATIONS MET THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TAXIWAY AND ASSISTED PILOT WITH TOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO TIE DOWN AREA. UPON INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD WHICH SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT DISTRIBUTING DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE CRANKCASE CREATING A LARGE HOLE IN THE UPPER ENGINE CRANKCASE AND THE ENGINE OIL PAN. CAUSE OF THE CONNECTING ROD FAILURE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. ASSISTANCE FROM THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN REQUESTED AND IS NOT COMPLETE AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT. REPORT WILL BE AMENDED SHOULD THE CAUSE BE DETERMINED. THIS ENGINE WAS LAST OVERHAULED IN 1975 AT 2421.00 ENGINE TOTAL TIME. ENGINE HAS ACCUMULATED 1229 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL IN 1975. ENGINE TOTAL TIME SINCE NEW 3650.00 HOURS. ENGINE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL TIME IS 2000 HOURS OR 12 YEARS. THIS ENGINE IS WITHIN THE RECOMMENDED 2000 HOUR REQUIREMENT BUT EXCEEDS THE RECOMMENDED 12 YEAR PERIOD.