THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE WHILE IN INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND WAS VECTORED TO RUNWAY 7. THE PREVAILING WEATHER WAS SKY OBSCURED, CEILING AND VISIBILITY ZERO. THE PILOT LINED UP ON THE HIGH INTENSITY APPROACH LIGHTS BUT COULD NOT SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT 500 FEET LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND 2/3RDS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON 8/30/80. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN COMPRESSION RING ON ONE OF THE CYLINDERS.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

MAINTENANCE,ANNUAL INSPECTION..NOT OBTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

PRECAUTIONARY LANDING..PERFORMED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..FOG

Contributing Factors

PROPER ALIGNMENT..NOT POSSIBLE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..BELOW APPROACH/LANDING MINIMUMS

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..LOW CEILING

Index for Jan1982 | Index of months