On July 26, 1999, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N4393S) operated by Anf Air Services was involved in an aviation accident near Victoria, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The separation of the engine cowling due to a fractured support bracket, which resulted in the cowling striking and bending four engine push rods causing a loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural airplane on a boll weevil eradication flight lost engine power after its cowling separated and struck the propeller. The pilot performed a forced landing in a cotton field, where the aircraft spun during the landing roll.
Accident Sequence
An agricultural airplane was conducting its first swath run of a boll weevil eradication flight when the engine cowling separated in flight. The detached cowling struck the propeller and the engine, causing a loss of engine power. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing to a cotton field. During the landing roll, the aircraft spun around.
Inspection Findings
An FAA inspector examined the aircraft and reported that the fractured engine cowling support bracket exhibited a dull surface, consistent with a break that had occurred some time prior to the incident. Further examination of the engine revealed that four push rod tubes were bent.