What happened
The incident occurred during an active agricultural spraying mission. The pilot decided to interrupt the flight to return to the ground and reload with chemicals. Instead of using a designated airfield, the pilot chose to land on a paved public highway. As the aircraft approached the road for touchdown, the engine unexpectedly accelerated to approximately two-thirds throttle power without any corresponding movement from the pilot's hand on the controls. The pilot believed the throttle lever was in the off position at that moment.
A high nose attitude developed as a result of the uncommanded power increase. In an effort to stabilize the aircraft and regain control, the pilot advanced the throttle further. However, this action caused the engine to completely lose power. With a crosswind present, the aircraft drifted to the left of the roadway. The pilot then attempted an emergency landing in an adjacent bean field. During this attempt, the aircraft struck a fence and rough terrain, resulting in damage to the airframe.
The investigation
A post-crash examination of the aircraft was conducted to determine the mechanical cause of the power loss. Investigators inspected the fuel system thoroughly. They found that there was no fuel remaining in the fuel tanks. Additionally, the inspection revealed no evidence of fuel leakage from the tanks or lines prior to the crash.
Findings
The primary factors leading to this accident involved the uncommanded engine acceleration during the flare phase and the subsequent total loss of power when the pilot attempted to correct the flight path. The lack of available fuel in the tanks contributed to the inability to maintain flight after the initial anomaly.