On August 23, 2007, an Air Tractor AT-301 (registration N3163T) operated by William Brinkley was involved in an aviation accident near Vandemere, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of supercharger bearings ingested into the engine case; the exact cause could not be determined. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
While turning during an aerial spraying operation, an airplane's engine lost power after a loud squeal. The pilot performed a forced landing to a cornfield, resulting in a nose-over and substantial wing damage. Examination revealed supercharger bearing failure.
Accident Summary
An airplane conducting aerial agricultural spraying experienced an engine power loss during a turn. The pilot reported hearing a loud squeal from the engine before the power loss occurred. In response, the pilot initiated a forced landing procedure and selected a cornfield as the landing area. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over, causing substantial damage to the wings.
Engine Examination
Post-accident examination of the radial engine determined that the supercharger bearings had failed and were subsequently ingested into the engine case. Investigators were unable to identify the exact cause of the supercharger bearing failure.
Maintenance History
The engine had accumulated 765 hours since its most recent major overhaul, which was completed approximately 5 months before the accident. The manufacturer's recommended time between overhauls (TBO) for this engine model was 1,200 hours.
Probable cause
Failure of supercharger bearings ingested into the engine case; the exact cause could not be determined.