What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Cirrus SR-22T departed fargo ND (kfar) direct to Minot ND (kmot) on a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. Aircraft engine began to run rough while in level cruise flight. Pilot in command chose to continue flight to Minot ND (kmot). Aircraft unable to maintain altitude as engine power deteriorated. Pilot in command was forced to make an emergency landing in a farm field 1.5 miles from Minot airport (kmot). The aircraft nose gear collapsed on roll-out due to the rough terrain causing substantial damage to the propeller, engine cowling and firewall structure. The PIC and passenger were not injured. Engine monitoring data indicates engine cylinders #6, #4 & #2 failed in flight.
Borescope inspection of the #6 cylinder revealed fragmenting of the piston and compression ring. Damage to cylinders 2 & 4 followed due to FOD from #6 cylinder piston.
As of the date of this report, cause of piston failure has not been determined.
As the FAA filed it
CIRRUS SR-22T DEPARTED FARGO ND (KFAR) DIRECT TO MINOT ND (KMOT) ON A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH WHILE IN LEVEL CRUISE FLIGHT. PILOT IN COMMAND CHOSE TO CONTINUE FLIGHT TO MINOT ND (KMOT). AIRCRAFT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AS ENGINE POWER DETERIORATED. PILOT IN COMMAND WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FARM FIELD 1.5 MILES FROM MINOT AIRPORT (KMOT). THE AIRCRAFT NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON ROLL-OUT DUE TO THE ROUGH TERRAIN CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, ENGINE COWLING AND FIREWALL STRUCTURE. THE PIC AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. ENGINE MONITORING DATA INDICATES ENGINE CYLINDERS #6, #4 & #2 FAILED IN FLIGHT.
BORESCOPE INSPECTION OF THE #6 CYLINDER REVEALED FRAGMENTING OF THE PISTON AND COMPRESSION RING. DAMAGE TO CYLINDERS 2 & 4 FOLLOWED DUE TO FOD FROM #6 CYLINDER PISTON.
AS OF THE DATE OF THIS REPORT, CAUSE OF PISTON FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.