What happened
The accident airplane experienced a sudden loss of engine power while the pilot was returning to the departure airport. This event occurred following a two-hour aerial application flight. During the subsequent descent phase, the stall warning system activated, indicating an aerodynamic stall condition. Unable to maintain altitude or recover from the situation, the pilot executed a forced landing. The aircraft ultimately collided with terrain during this maneuver.
The investigation
A thorough teardown examination of the engine was conducted to determine the mechanical status of the powerplant. The inspection revealed no mechanical defects that would account for the loss of power. This finding suggests that the engine itself was mechanically sound at the time of the post-accident analysis, shifting focus toward operational or environmental factors during the flight.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the loss of engine power during the return flight. The activation of the stall warning during descent indicates that the aircraft entered a low-energy state from which recovery was not possible before terrain impact. The absence of mechanical defects points to an operational cause rather than a hardware failure.