What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 19, 2023 at approximately 1810 LCL, a Piper cherokee 180 landed off airport in a nearby field close to kgon airport. The airman reported that he departed kmvy entroute to kswf and climbed to about 4500 feet. About 45 min into the flight, he noticed the oil pressure gauge drop to zero while all other gauges were in normal ranges. Airman reported that engine oil began pouring out in copious amounts and flowing up the windscreen. The airman then attempted to land at kgon but was unable to make the airport and chose a field below. Airman stated the propellor stopped spinning at 1000 ft. airman was traveling at 80 KTS to landing site. Airman made a successful landing but struck a metal test-well pipe after rolling out 181 feet, which was hidden in the tall brush. The aircraft struck the pipe and rotated 180 degrees and continued to slide backwards for 133 feet. Upon inspection, the entire left side of the engine casing was split open with significant break up of the engine in flight. Oil was coating the entire interior of the cowling. Aircrafts right wing then departed the aircraft along with the right main landing gear. The fuel tank was torn on the right wing. Approximately 14 gal drained from left wing, 12 gal drained from right wing. Approximately 3 gal collected from soil below aircraft. Airman stated he prepared the aircraft controls for an emergency landing and all flight controls concurred with that statement. Fuel valve was found positioned on the right tank. No injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 19, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1810 LCL, A PIPER CHEROKEE 180 LANDED OFF AIRPORT IN A NEARBY FIELD CLOSE TO KGON AIRPORT. THE AIRMAN REPORTED THAT HE DEPARTED KMVY ENTROUTE TO KSWF AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 4500 FEET. ABOUT 45 MIN INTO THE FLIGHT, HE NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE DROP TO ZERO WHILE ALL OTHER GAUGES WERE IN NORMAL RANGES. AIRMAN REPORTED THAT ENGINE OIL BEGAN POURING OUT IN COPIOUS AMOUNTS AND FLOWING UP THE WINDSCREEN. THE AIRMAN THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT KGON BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE AIRPORT AND CHOSE A FIELD BELOW. AIRMAN STATED THE PROPELLOR STOPPED SPINNING AT 1000 FT. AIRMAN WAS TRAVELING AT 80 KTS TO LANDING SITE. AIRMAN MADE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING BUT STRUCK A METAL TEST-WELL PIPE AFTER ROLLING OUT 181 FEET, WHICH WAS HIDDEN IN THE TALL BRUSH. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE PIPE AND ROTATED 180 DEGREES AND CONTINUED TO SLIDE BACKWARDS FOR 133 FEET. UPON INSPECTION, THE ENTIRE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE CASING WAS SPLIT OPEN WITH SIGNIFICANT BREAK UP OF THE ENGINE IN FLIGHT. OIL WAS COATING THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE COWLING. AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING THEN DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT ALONG WITH THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE FUEL TANK WAS TORN ON THE RIGHT WING. APPROXIMATELY 14 GAL DRAINED FROM LEFT WING, 12 GAL DRAINED FROM RIGHT WING. APPROXIMATELY 3 GAL COLLECTED FROM SOIL BELOW AIRCRAFT. AIRMAN STATED HE PREPARED THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS CONCURRED WITH THAT STATEMENT. FUEL VALVE WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT TANK. NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.