Accident Overview
On August 13, 2013, at approximately 1530 central daylight time, a Gulfstream G164B agricultural airplane, registration N8222K, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Eagle Lake, Texas. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was operated by LL Flying Service of East Bernard, Texas, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a repositioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Flight Details
The flight originated at 1525 from Eagle Lake Airport (ELA) and was en route to a private agricultural airstrip near Wallace, Texas. About two minutes into the flight, the engine lost RPM. The pilot observed smoke emanating from the engine cowl and oil splattering onto the windshield. As the airplane began to descend, the pilot maneuvered to land in a plowed field. After touchdown, the pilot intentionally ground-looped the aircraft to avoid striking a canal bank. The maneuver resulted in collapsed landing gear and substantial damage to the wing and empennage structures. The airplane came to rest upright, and the pilot exited uninjured.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a Gulfstream G164B, was registered to a private individual. The most recent annual inspection was completed on May 2, 2013, at a total airframe time of 16,692 hours. No other information regarding the engine or its previous maintenance history was documented during the investigation.
Engine Examination
An examination of the airplane and its radial engine revealed that one of the cylinders had failed. No other engine anomalies were found aside from the failed cylinder. The investigation did not uncover any additional details about the engine or maintenance history.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was determined from the investigation findings.