What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During level flight CFII noticed that the oil pressure gauge was showing little or no oil pressure. Immediately pulled back the throttle to idle to begin engine shutdown, but, almost simultaneously, the engine started shaking violently and began smoking, and within seconds it came to a complete and abrupt stop. At that point, proceeded to establish best glide speed and asked other pilot (CFII) to scan for a field or other landing option. Pilot quickly spotted a field that appeared to be within gliding range and turned towards the field. They were essentially set up for a right downwind leg to the field and continued the approach turning base then final to line up for the field. Once they knew they could reach the field they dropped the gear and went to full flaps for landing. Total time from engine failure to touchdown was less than 2 minutes. There was a line of trees at the FAR end of the field. After touchdown they were approaching the trees, they turned the airplane to put the nose between trees hoping the wing would take the impact and limit the cabin damage. Once the wing hit the tree, the airplane was violently pivoted around and flipped over.
Post-accident investigation on scene found that #4 engine connecting rod end cap came loose and broke through the engine case on top side of engine case.
As the FAA filed it
DURING LEVEL FLIGHT CFII NOTICED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE WAS SHOWING LITTLE OR NO OIL PRESSURE. IMMEDIATELY PULLED BACK THE THROTTLE TO IDLE TO BEGIN ENGINE SHUTDOWN, BUT, ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE ENGINE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND BEGAN SMOKING, AND WITHIN SECONDS IT CAME TO A COMPLETE AND ABRUPT STOP. AT THAT POINT, PROCEEDED TO ESTABLISH BEST GLIDE SPEED AND ASKED OTHER PILOT (CFII) TO SCAN FOR A FIELD OR OTHER LANDING OPTION. PILOT QUICKLY SPOTTED A FIELD THAT APPEARED TO BE WITHIN GLIDING RANGE AND TURNED TOWARDS THE FIELD. THEY WERE ESSENTIALLY SET UP FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND LEG TO THE FIELD AND CONTINUED THE APPROACH TURNING BASE THEN FINAL TO LINE UP FOR THE FIELD. ONCE THEY KNEW THEY COULD REACH THE FIELD THEY DROPPED THE GEAR AND WENT TO FULL FLAPS FOR LANDING. TOTAL TIME FROM ENGINE FAILURE TO TOUCHDOWN WAS LESS THAN 2 MINUTES. THERE WAS A LINE OF TREES AT THE FAR END OF THE FIELD. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THEY WERE APPROACHING THE TREES, THEY TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO PUT THE NOSE BETWEEN TREES HOPING THE WING WOULD TAKE THE IMPACT AND LIMIT THE CABIN DAMAGE. ONCE THE WING HIT THE TREE, THE AIRPLANE WAS VIOLENTLY PIVOTED AROUND AND FLIPPED OVER.
POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION ON SCENE FOUND THAT #4 ENGINE CONNECTING ROD END CAP CAME LOOSE AND BROKE THROUGH THE ENGINE CASE ON TOP SIDE OF ENGINE CASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.