2010 PZL M-18 Agricultural Aircraft Accident in Meridian, California (N70461)

Accident Overview and Flight History On August 6, 2010, at approximately 0900 Pacific daylight time, a PZL M-18 agricultural aircraft, registration N70461, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a water-filled rice paddy south of Sanborn Airport (38CN) in Meridian, California. The pilot/owner, who was operating the flight under 14 CFR Part 137 for Martin's Dusters, sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was loaded with 3,600 pounds of fertilizer and approximately 120 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that the aircraft took off easily to the south and maintained a low altitude for application work. Just as the pilot began a turn to the east, a loud crack was heard, the aircraft decelerated, and the engine stopped developing power. The pilot attempted to land in the adjacent rice paddy, but the aircraft nosed over onto its back upon touchdown. A witness assisted the pilot in exiting the aircraft, as the canopy was partially embedded in the mud and water. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, with winds of 4 knots from 180 degrees, clear skies, and a temperature of 18 degrees Celsius recorded at a nearby airport. No fire occurred, and the fixed, conventional landing gear remained intact, though the fuselage fractured just aft of the firewall, leaving the bulk of the aircraft inverted.