Catastrophic Engine Failure after Takeoff

[TuFun 437]

See the damage at the end.

 

[Luis Hernandez 572]

I don't know the root cause of this engine failure, but the pilot should go and buy a lottery ticket. Not only he managed to put the plane down, but also in the runway! Just a bit short of the so called Impossible Turn.

[stans 703]

Stayed calm and flew the airplane all the way to the ground.  Excellent job of handling what could have been a disaster.  Based on the pics, maybe a connecting rod bolt failure.

[W2DR 1,860]

That picture looks exactly like my "broken" Alfa Romeo when a wrist pin failure caused the then loosened connecting rod to slice through the side of the aluminum engine case. My recovery was a little easier to handle than his though.........Doug

[Victoroos 205]

oef...

Edited November 26, 2021 by Victoroos

[Adrian123 1,015]

Spun a bearing.

[n4gix 4,947]

Threw a rod most likely. That happened on my very first car, a 1962 Plymouth Valiant. I bought the car used for $500, drove it for two+ years like it was a battle jeep, and eventually it threw a rod. My dad had to rent a tow bar and drag it back home. I had dad put an ad in the paper and eventually managed to part it out for around $700 total! 🤑

[Adrian123 1,015]

9 minutes ago, n4gix said:

Threw a rod most likely

After it spun the bearing! Spun bearing overheats rod bolts weakening to the point they break letting the cap loose, thus the rod contacting the side of the block. Lets just say..experience from 100's of engine build rebuilds.