ERA17LA338

The private pilot was conducting a cross-country, personal flight. He reported that, while approaching the destination airport at a cruise altitude of 2,500 ft mean sea level, he noticed smoke coming from the engine cowling. Concerned that there was a fire, he decided to immediately land the airplane in an open field. During touchdown, the airplane impacted 5-ft-tall grass and immediately cartwheeled. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that there was a loose oil line fitting at the oil cooler and that oil was dripping on the exhaust system, which likely resulted in the smoke the pilot saw before initiating the precautionary landing.

On September 15, 2017, about 1311 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Starduster SA100, N1356W, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing near Southfields, New York. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that departed Chester Airport (SNC), Chester, Connecticut, and was destined for Warwick Municipal Airport (N72), Warwick, New York. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, he was flying on a short cross-country flight to N72, when during cruise flight at 2,500 ft mean sea level, he noticed smoke coming from the engine cowling. He was 7 miles from his destination, but decided to land immediately due to a possible fire. He saw an open field that he could land the airplane in; however, during touchdown he noticed the grass was about 5 ft tall. The airplane immediately cartwheeled upon touchdown and came to rest at a 45° nose-down attitude. Once he removed the airplane from the field and back to his residence, he noticed a loose oil line fitting at the oil cooler and oil dripping on the exhaust system. He stated there were no mechanical issues with the airplane other than the oil leak. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane had sustained damage to the landing gear, right upper wing, rudder and vertical stabilizer. He also noticed an oil line that was loose, and observed a large amount of oil in the engine compartment and that oil had been leaking on the exhaust. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the airplane's most recent conditional inspection was completed on February 14, 2017 and it had accumulated 586 total hours of service at that time.