What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On oct 8, 2021, N7220B departed paso robles airport. While enroute, at cruise altitude, the engine began to loose power. The PIC noticed the oil pressure had dropped to zero and the PIC advised ATC of the emergency and diverted to Los Banos. While descending the engine started to self destruct and filled the cockpit full of smoke. The PIC was still short of the airport and fearing an inflight fire, decided to make an emergency landing off field on a road. The aircraft landed hard and subsequently the nose wheel and left main ripped off the aircraft and spun the aircraft off to the side of the road. No passengers on board, no injuries. Substantial damage to aircraft post landing.
Initial post crash inspection from the pilot observed a hole in the side of the engine case. Aircraft has been recovered and moved to a secure location. NTSB has indicated they want to conduct an engine tear down but at this time it is not scheduled and no cause of the engine failure has been identified. Will ammend this report if engine tear down findings point to any of the FAA responsibilities.
In review of the aircraft engine mx logs, the engine has had 25 hours since major overhaul. All mx entries look correct and engine break in procedures appear to have been followed.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCT 8, 2021, N7220B DEPARTED PASO ROBLES AIRPORT. WHILE ENROUTE, AT CRUISE ALTITUDE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. THE PIC NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE HAD DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE PIC ADVISED ATC OF THE EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO LOS BANOS. WHILE DESCENDING THE ENGINE STARTED TO SELF DESTRUCT AND FILLED THE COCKPIT FULL OF SMOKE. THE PIC WAS STILL SHORT OF THE AIRPORT AND FEARING AN INFLIGHT FIRE, DECIDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING OFF FIELD ON A ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE NOSE WHEEL AND LEFT MAIN RIPPED OFF THE AIRCRAFT AND SPUN THE AIRCRAFT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD, NO INJURIES. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT POST LANDING.
INITIAL POST CRASH INSPECTION FROM THE PILOT OBSERVED A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE CASE. AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN RECOVERED AND MOVED TO A SECURE LOCATION. NTSB HAS INDICATED THEY WANT TO CONDUCT AN ENGINE TEAR DOWN BUT AT THIS TIME IT IS NOT SCHEDULED AND NO CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. WILL AMMEND THIS REPORT IF ENGINE TEAR DOWN FINDINGS POINT TO ANY OF THE FAA RESPONSIBILITIES.
IN REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE MX LOGS, THE ENGINE HAS HAD 25 HOURS SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. ALL MX ENTRIES LOOK CORRECT AND ENGINE BREAK IN PROCEDURES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.