On August 18, 1993, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N2330V) was involved in an aviation accident near Dos Palos, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the engine's master connecting rod, which resulted in a total loss of power. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Aircraft suffered total power loss while returning to the dirt airstrip, resulting in a forced landing in a cultivated field and collision with an irrigation ditch.
What happened
The aircraft experienced a complete loss of engine power while the pilot was attempting to return to the dirt airstrip. Unable to maintain altitude or reach the runway, the pilot executed a forced landing in an adjacent cultivated field. During the landing roll, the aircraft collided with an irrigation ditch, resulting in significant structural damage.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the engine was conducted to determine the cause of the power loss. The inspection revealed that the master connecting rod had failed. Due to the severity of the damage sustained during the impact and subsequent forces, it was not possible to definitively determine the specific failure mode of the master rod.
Probable cause
The failure of the engine's master connecting rod, which resulted in a total loss of power.