Incident Overview
A commercial pilot, holding 10,300 hours of flight experience, was conducting an aerial application flight when the engine began to experience a reduction in RPM. The pilot decided to return to the departure airport. During the flight back, the manifold pressure dropped and a large puff of smoke was emitted from the engine. Shortly thereafter, the engine suffered a complete loss of power.
Emergency Landing
The pilot executed an emergency landing to a pasture. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a barbwire fence and came to rest in an upright position.
Engine Examination
Post-incident examination of the engine revealed a hole on the top of the engine case. The damage was consistent with a connecting rod failure. The engine had accumulated a total time of 766 hours, with 122 hours since its last inspection.