What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot reported that after flying for about 45 minutes and completing a 75-mile loop covering his farm property, he was headed home when the engine popped and started to vibrate. He continued to run the engine at reduced power and subsequently observed the oil pressure drop to 0 PSI at which time the engine stopped producing power. He initiated a forced landing to a wheat field. During landing the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The #3 piston pin and aft section of connecting rod separated from the piston and departed through the upper engine case. It was noted that the piston pin had moved past the retaining ring and had contacted the cylinder wall. The suspect components were sent to the NTSB lab for inspection. The pilot did not sustain injuries.
Aircraft records were reviewed and found to have proper aircraft certification and current aircraft inspection status. Pilot records were reviewed and found to have the correct certification and qualification for the flight.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES AND COMPLETING A 75-MILE LOOP COVERING HIS FARM PROPERTY, HE WAS HEADED HOME WHEN THE ENGINE POPPED AND STARTED TO VIBRATE. HE CONTINUED TO RUN THE ENGINE AT REDUCED POWER AND SUBSEQUENTLY OBSERVED THE OIL PRESSURE DROP TO 0 PSI AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. HE INITIATED A FORCED LANDING TO A WHEAT FIELD. DURING LANDING THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RUDDER. THE #3 PISTON PIN AND AFT SECTION OF CONNECTING ROD SEPARATED FROM THE PISTON AND DEPARTED THROUGH THE UPPER ENGINE CASE. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE PISTON PIN HAD MOVED PAST THE RETAINING RING AND HAD CONTACTED THE CYLINDER WALL. THE SUSPECT COMPONENTS WERE SENT TO THE NTSB LAB FOR INSPECTION. THE PILOT DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES.
AIRCRAFT RECORDS WERE REVIEWED AND FOUND TO HAVE PROPER AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION AND CURRENT AIRCRAFT INSPECTION STATUS. PILOT RECORDS WERE REVIEWED AND FOUND TO HAVE THE CORRECT CERTIFICATION AND QUALIFICATION FOR THE FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.