Accident Sequence
The airplane experienced a loss of engine power, preventing it from accelerating properly. The pilot jettisoned the load, after which the aircraft became airborne approximately 100 feet before the end of the runway. However, it still did not gain sufficient speed and subsequently settled into a cotton field roughly 300 feet beyond the runway end. During the descent, the spray boom caught the cotton crop, causing the airplane to yaw to the left and impact the ground.
Examination Findings
Post-accident inspection of the double wall air induction hose revealed that the inner wall had separated. This separation blocked the air intake, leading to the loss of engine power.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the loss of engine power due to a blocked air intake, caused by separation of the inner wall of the double wall air induction hose.