Incident Overview
On January 17, 2008, at approximately 1045 eastern standard time, a Cessna A188B, Ecuadorian registration HC-CDS, crashed following a loss of engine power while conducting an aerial application flight. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Fumigacion Aereas FAPAS. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported no injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight had originated from the Hermanos Perez Airstrip in Valencia, Ecuador, earlier that day at about 0930.
Sequence of Events
According to information obtained from the Ecuadorian Subdireccion de Aviacion Civil, the airplane was on its fourth application of the day. During that application, the engine, without any warning, experienced a total loss of power. The pilot was forced to execute a landing on top of the banana plants that he was fumigating at the time.
Investigation
This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Ecuador. Further information can be obtained from the Direccion General de Aviacion Civil in Quito, Republic of Ecuador.
The aircraft was a Cessna A188B, a single-engine agricultural aircraft. No determination of probable cause has been released by the investigating authorities.