On September 16, 1991, an Air Tractor AT-401 (registration N1004W) operated by Flautt Flying Sevice, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Sumner, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: FAILURE OF THE NO. 1 CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During cruise at 500 ft AGL, the engine ran rough and quit. The pilot conducted an emergency landing to a dirt road in a cotton field. During the landing roll, the airplane collided with tall cotton, sustaining substantial damage. The pilot received minor injuries.
Incident Overview
A pilot was conducting cruise flight at 500 feet above ground level when the engine began to run rough and subsequently quit. The pilot initiated an emergency landing to a dirt road located within a cotton field.
Landing and Impact
During the landing roll, the airplane collided with tall cotton, an on-ground object, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot sustained minor injuries.
Post-Incident Inspection
Visual inspection of the engine assembly revealed that the No. 1 cylinder had split from the exhaust port to the front spark plug hole. No other anomalies were noted during the inspection.