What was found
DURING A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ENG MALFUNCTION WHILE CRUISING AT APPROX 4,500 FT MSL NEAR KCSQ. THE ENGINE BEGAN OPERATING EXTREMELY ROUGH, ACCOMPANIED BY A FLASHING LANE A WARNING INDICATION & MULTIPLE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY FAILURES. SHORTLY AFTER, ENGINE OIL PRESSURE RAPIDLY DECREASED, FOLLOWED BY A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENG POWER DUE TO ENG SEIZURE. THE PILOT SECURED THE ENG & CONDUCTED A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN AGRICULTURAL FIELD AFTER DETERMINING THAT KCSQ COULD NOT BE REACHED. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED, AND NO SUBSTANTIAL AIRFRAME DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED DURING THE LANDING. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ENGINE OIL WAS FOUND COVERING THE LOWER COWLING AND NOSE LANDING GEAR AREA, INDICATING A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE OIL DURING FLIGHT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED MULTIPLE CRACKS IN THE ENGINE CRANKCASE/BODY. THE ENGINE REMAINED SEIZED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. PRIOR TO THE EVENT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD UNDERGONE PREFLIGHT INSPECTIONS, ENGINE RUN-UPS, AND PATTERN OPERATIONS WITHOUT ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS, WARNING LIGHTS, FLUID LEAKS, OR ENGINE PERFORMANCE ISSUES. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY DURING START, TAXI, TAKEOFF, CLIMB, AND CRUISE UNTIL THE SUDDEN ONSET OF THE FAILURE.