Accident Overview
A commercial pilot, holding 13,000 hours of total flight time, departed from a private airstrip to conduct an aerial application flight. Approximately three miles from the airstrip, the aircraft's 1,350-horsepower engine lost all power. The pilot reported that due to the low altitude at the time of the power loss, he was forced to execute an emergency landing in a nearby rice field.
Forced Landing and Damage
During the forced landing in the rice field, the aircraft sustained structural damage. The pilot successfully brought the aircraft down without further incident, but the impact with the terrain caused damage to the airframe.
Post-Accident Findings
Following the accident, the operator examined the aircraft and discovered a substantial amount of water present in the airplane's header tank. The presence of water in the fuel system was noted as a significant finding, though no causal link to the engine failure was explicitly stated in the source.