GA small aircraft experienced complete engine failure and made emergency landing wheels up in plowed...

Attributes
ACN	82939
Time
Date	198803
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tx06
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 254 flight time type : 17
ASRS Report	82939
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Cruising at 9500' my engine suffered severe internal damage. At the present time it is believed a piston pin broke. A subsequent investigation showed two ad's both 50 hour recurring had not been signed off 71-09-07 and 76-07-12. I purchased the aircraft approximately two weeks previous to this and had a pre-purchase inspection done on it. The mechanic overlooked these two ad's. This was in no way related to the engine damage sustained but in order to become a more safety conscious pilot I should check all ad's myself. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: cause of the engine failure was a valve failure which failed and knocked a piston and consequently rest of engine. Forced landing was in a plowed field and pilot elected to land wheels up to prevent flipping over. As a result engine mounts were stretched and other damage was such that repair cost was so much plane was totaled. Ad's that had not been signed off had nothing to do with engine failure and now think were done but just not signed off. FAA investigated incident but no follow up action being taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AND MADE EMERGENCY LNDG WHEELS UP IN PLOWED FIELD.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 9500' MY ENGINE SUFFERED SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE. AT THE PRESENT TIME IT IS BELIEVED A PISTON PIN BROKE. A SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED TWO AD'S BOTH 50 HOUR RECURRING HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF 71-09-07 AND 76-07-12. I PURCHASED THE ACFT APPROX TWO WEEKS PREVIOUS TO THIS AND HAD A PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION DONE ON IT. THE MECHANIC OVERLOOKED THESE TWO AD'S. THIS WAS IN NO WAY RELATED TO THE ENGINE DAMAGE SUSTAINED BUT IN ORDER TO BECOME A MORE SAFETY CONSCIOUS PLT I SHOULD CHECK ALL AD'S MYSELF. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS A VALVE FAILURE WHICH FAILED AND KNOCKED A PISTON AND CONSEQUENTLY REST OF ENGINE. FORCED LNDG WAS IN A PLOWED FIELD AND PLT ELECTED TO LAND WHEELS UP TO PREVENT FLIPPING OVER. AS A RESULT ENGINE MOUNTS WERE STRETCHED AND OTHER DAMAGE WAS SUCH THAT REPAIR COST WAS SO MUCH PLANE WAS TOTALED. AD'S THAT HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ENGINE FAILURE AND NOW THINK WERE DONE BUT JUST NOT SIGNED OFF. FAA INVESTIGATED INCIDENT BUT NO FOLLOW UP ACTION BEING TAKEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.

GA small aircraft experienced complete engine failure and made emergency landing wheels up in plowed field.