What happened
The incident occurred while the pilot was conducting a spraying operation. During this phase of flight, the aircraft was maneuvering when the number two exhaust valve failed. Despite the mechanical failure, the pilot managed to maintain control and executed an emergency landing on a nearby road.
During the roll-out phase of the emergency landing, the aircraft collided with a road sign. The specific mode of failure for the exhaust valve was not determined during the investigation.
The investigation
Investigators examined the engine maintenance records to determine the operational history leading up to the incident. It was reported that the engine had approximately 1,100 hours since its last overhaul. However, the total time on the engine was not available for review.
Findings
The primary factor in this event was the failure of the number two exhaust valve while the aircraft was being maneuvered. The lack of total engine time data limited the ability to fully assess the wear and tear contributing to the component failure.