An LNC2 on climb at 3100 ft engine RPM surged with shaking and vibrating. Returned to departure airp...

Attributes
ACN	679604
Time
Date	200511
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 140
ASRS Report	679604
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : gear up landing
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : rpm surging other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During the climb out after takeoff as I started twisting the propeller back and the RPM's surged; I reduced the throttle to idle and pulled the propeller all the way back. I then turned 180 degrees back to the field. The engine started shaking violently and smoke became visible from under the cowling and through the firewall. I pulled the mixture all the way out and the engine stopped. I glided over the fence and put the plane down gear up in the dirt. There were no injuries. Damage to the airframe was minor. Upon removing the upper cowling; I did find a hole in the engine case about the size of a golf ball. All maintenance had been performed; the engine had been performing normally the previous day. I did perform a preflight inspection and a runup of the airplane prior to departure. The cause of the engine failure is still unknown.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LNC2 ON CLB AT 3100 FT ENG RPM SURGED WITH SHAKING AND VIBRATING. RETURNED TO DEP ARPT AND LANDED GEAR UP IN DIRT.

Narrative: DURING THE CLBOUT AFTER TKOF AS I STARTED TWISTING THE PROP BACK AND THE RPM'S SURGED; I REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND PULLED THE PROP ALL THE WAY BACK. I THEN TURNED 180 DEGS BACK TO THE FIELD. THE ENG STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM UNDER THE COWLING AND THROUGH THE FIREWALL. I PULLED THE MIXTURE ALL THE WAY OUT AND THE ENG STOPPED. I GLIDED OVER THE FENCE AND PUT THE PLANE DOWN GEAR UP IN THE DIRT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME WAS MINOR. UPON REMOVING THE UPPER COWLING; I DID FIND A HOLE IN THE ENG CASE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL. ALL MAINT HAD BEEN PERFORMED; THE ENG HAD BEEN PERFORMING NORMALLY THE PREVIOUS DAY. I DID PERFORM A PREFLT INSPECTION AND A RUNUP OF THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEP. THE CAUSE OF THE ENG FAILURE IS STILL UNKNOWN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

An LNC2 on climb at 3100 ft engine RPM surged with shaking and vibrating. Returned to departure airport and landed gear up in dirt.