Incident Overview
According to the pilot, while lining up for a third pass, he observed a drop in manifold pressure and a loss of power. The throttle had no effect. After two attempts to restart the engine, he dumped his load in an effort to turn toward a clear area.
Sequence of Events
A set of television cables and a paved road were adjacent to the field where the pilot intended to land. As he attempted to clear the cables, the aircraft stalled and struck the wires. After hitting the wires, the aircraft spun approximately 180 degrees and impacted tail-first on the road. It began burning approximately 10 to 15 seconds later.
Investigation Findings
The operator and a mechanic suspected a possible supercharger failure. However, due to extensive fire damage, the reason for the power loss was not determined.