Incident Overview
An agricultural pilot was returning to his landing strip after completing a dry fertilizer application on a field. Approximately one mile from the runway, the aircraft's engine began to run rough. As the aircraft continued toward the airport, the roughness worsened. Within half a mile of the airport, the engine failed completely, and the aircraft could no longer maintain altitude.
Forced Landing
The pilot initiated a forced landing in an alfalfa field adjacent to the runway. After touchdown, the aircraft rolled into a snowdrift and nosed over. The sequence of events resulted in the aircraft coming to rest in an inverted position.
Investigation Findings
Examination of the engine revealed that the number seven cylinder had separated from the engine crankcase. This separation caused the progressive loss of engine power and eventual total failure. The investigation did not specify any other contributing factors or conditions.
Conclusion
The forced landing was necessitated by the in-flight engine failure. The pilot's actions in selecting a suitable landing area adjacent to the runway likely minimized further damage. The investigation concluded that the separation of the number seven cylinder from the crankcase was the cause of the engine failure.