On July 2, 1994, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N3649B) was involved in an aviation accident near Smithville, GA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF # 2 CYLINDER HEAD. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an agricultural flight, the number two cylinder failed, spraying oil on the windshield. The pilot executed an emergency landing but overshot due to limited forward visibility, rolling into a stand of trees.
Event Description
The pilot was conducting a swath run, the third of the flight, when the number two cylinder failed. Oil from the failure sprayed onto the windshield, obscuring forward vision. The pilot identified an area suitable for an emergency landing and initiated an approach. However, due to the limited forward visibility caused by the oil, the airplane touched down beyond the intended touchdown point. It subsequently rolled into a stand of trees.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the engine confirmed that the number two cylinder head had failed. The mechanic who recovered the airplane noted that the crack in the cylinder head was typical of most head failures he had observed on other R-1340 engines.