On May 19, 1995, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N3655Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Caldwell, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A CRACK IN THE #4 CYLINDER. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING AND PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT NOT POSSIBLE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural airplane lost engine power during a climbing turn at about 200 feet. The forced landing in a wheat field caused structural damage to the right wing and empennage. Post-accident inspection found a cracked #4 cylinder.
Incident Overview
A pilot performing agricultural application flights completed the first swath and initiated a climb to reverse direction. While the airplane was in a nose-high attitude at approximately 200 feet above the ground, the engine lost power. The subsequent forced landing in a wheat field resulted in structural damage to the right wing and the empennage.
Post-Accident Examination
An FAA inspector conducted a post-accident examination of the engine and identified a crack in the #4 cylinder as a finding. No other mechanical anomalies were reported.
Damage Assessment
The aircraft sustained structural damage to the right wing and the empennage during the forced landing. The specific extent of damage was not detailed beyond the mention of these components.
Additional Information
The pilot had completed one swath before the loss of engine power occurred during the climb. The location, date, and operator of the flight were not specified in the source material.