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Bowlus, MN
The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The pilot attempted to land on a nearby road, but was unable to see powerlines and a utility pole obstructing his glide path due to a film of oil on the windshield from the ruptured engine case. The airplane struck the powerlines and pole and landed in an adjacent field. Examination of the engine disclosed a fractured connecting rod cap and rod cap bolt in the number 4 cylinder. Both of the castellated nuts were gone from the rod cap bolts. One of the bolts had remnants of a cotter key remaining in the keyway, the other bolt did not. One castellated nut fitting a rod cap bolt was found in the oil pan. The nut's normally sharp edges were worn smooth and shiny, giving the appearance the nut had been in the sump for a long period of time. The engine's last major overhaul was 946 service hours prior to the accident flight.
THE FRACTURE OF THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER'S CONNECTING ROD CAP.
THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A NEARBY ROAD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE POWERLINES AND A UTILITY POLE OBSTRUCTING HIS GLIDE PATH DUE TO A FILM OF OIL ON THE WIND SHIELD FROM THE RUPTURED ENGINE CASE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE POWERLINES AND POLE AND LANDED IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED A FRACTURED CONNECTING ROD CAP AND ROD CAP BOLT IN THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER. BOTH OF THE CASTELLATED NUTS WERE GONE FROM THE ROD CAP BOLTS. ONE OF THE BOLTS HAD REMNANTS OF A COTTER KEY REMAINING IN THE KEYWAY, THE OTHER BOLT DID NOT. ONE CASTELLATED NUT FITTING A ROD CAP BOLT WAS FOUND IN THE OIL PAN. THE NUT'S NORMALLY SHARP EDGES WERE WORN SMOOTH AND SHINY, GIVING THE APPEARANCE THE NUT HAD BEEN IN THE SUMP FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. THE ENGINE'S LAST MAJOR OVERHAUL WAS 946 SERVICE HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.