Accident
A commercial pilot, holding 9,901 hours of flight experience, was conducting aerial application operations when the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of engine power. According to the pilot, the engine produced an "explosion"-like noise immediately preceding the total power loss. The pilot was forced to land the airplane in a field planted with cotton and soybeans.
During the forced landing, the aircraft sustained damage to the propeller blades, both main landing gears, both wings, the fuselage, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that at the time of the mishap, the airplane's altitude was approximately 5 to 10 feet above ground level, resulting in a lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Investigation
A teardown and examination of the engine revealed that the failure was initiated by a compressor turbine guide vane ring crack at a weld repair. This crack released material into the compressor turbine blades, leading to the engine malfunction.