Narrative:

After having been in shop for maintenance items including oil leak problem. This aircraft engine had its normal 1400 hour tbo extended to 1800 hour thru approved maintenance procedures. This particular engine had a history of oil problems having been grounded for an oil leak with a cylinder replaced less than a month prior. The engine had approximately 100 hours tbo or approximately 1700 hours total time. Off dpa at XA30 CDT for shawano, wi. During cruise at 4500' 10 west of waukesha the oil pressure began to go down. I idled engine; landed at waukesha co airport; oil filler cap was loose; engine oil level was at 1 to 1-1/2 qts. I called FBO to find out what corrective action they had taken. They said no problem was found-no action was taken. I questioned the mechanic at waukesha co airport who said he had seen this problem several times before with this type engine. He put a thicker gasket on the oil cap saying this should take care of the problem. He hand propped the engine and determined the compression was okay. The lineman filled the engine with oil. Runup was made; full oil pressure observed. Departure from waukesha at XC30 CDT. 2 minutes into climb, oil pressure went from full normal to zero. Within several seconds engine began to make loud noises as if a rod had broken. Engine was shut down. Unable to make airport, an off field landing was successfully completed. It would seem that an extension of the tbo on this engine should not be a recommended procedure. Further this pilot had put his complete faith and trust in the mechanic's knowledge of the maintenance procedures for this specific airplane and engine. Despite the possible consequences of an off field landing, realization of the emergency at hand came immediately and training enabled total concentration with sole consideration given to the safety of the aircraft and its occupants.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENGINE FAILURE RESULTS IN A FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER HAVING BEEN IN SHOP FOR MAINT ITEMS INCLUDING OIL LEAK PROB. THIS ACFT ENG HAD ITS NORMAL 1400 HR TBO EXTENDED TO 1800 HR THRU APPROVED MAINT PROCS. THIS PARTICULAR ENG HAD A HISTORY OF OIL PROBS HAVING BEEN GNDED FOR AN OIL LEAK WITH A CYLINDER REPLACED LESS THAN A MONTH PRIOR. THE ENG HAD APPROX 100 HRS TBO OR APPROX 1700 HRS TOTAL TIME. OFF DPA AT XA30 CDT FOR SHAWANO, WI. DURING CRUISE AT 4500' 10 W OF WAUKESHA THE OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO GO DOWN. I IDLED ENG; LANDED AT WAUKESHA CO ARPT; OIL FILLER CAP WAS LOOSE; ENG OIL LEVEL WAS AT 1 TO 1-1/2 QTS. I CALLED FBO TO FIND OUT WHAT CORRECTIVE ACTION THEY HAD TAKEN. THEY SAID NO PROB WAS FOUND-NO ACTION WAS TAKEN. I QUESTIONED THE MECHANIC AT WAUKESHA CO ARPT WHO SAID HE HAD SEEN THIS PROB SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE WITH THIS TYPE ENG. HE PUT A THICKER GASKET ON THE OIL CAP SAYING THIS SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROB. HE HAND PROPPED THE ENG AND DETERMINED THE COMPRESSION WAS OKAY. THE LINEMAN FILLED THE ENG WITH OIL. RUNUP WAS MADE; FULL OIL PRESSURE OBSERVED. DEP FROM WAUKESHA AT XC30 CDT. 2 MINUTES INTO CLB, OIL PRESSURE WENT FROM FULL NORMAL TO ZERO. WITHIN SEVERAL SECONDS ENG BEGAN TO MAKE LOUD NOISES AS IF A ROD HAD BROKEN. ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. UNABLE TO MAKE ARPT, AN OFF FIELD LNDG WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED. IT WOULD SEEM THAT AN EXTENSION OF THE TBO ON THIS ENG SHOULD NOT BE A RECOMMENDED PROC. FURTHER THIS PLT HAD PUT HIS COMPLETE FAITH AND TRUST IN THE MECHANIC'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE MAINT PROCS FOR THIS SPECIFIC AIRPLANE AND ENG. DESPITE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF AN OFF FIELD LNDG, REALIZATION OF THE EMER AT HAND CAME IMMEDIATELY AND TRAINING ENABLED TOTAL CONCENTRATION WITH SOLE CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE SAFETY OF THE ACFT AND ITS OCCUPANTS.

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.