Accident Details
On August 28, 2013, at 0745 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802 airplane (registration N9119B) collided with terrain following a loss of engine power on takeoff from a private airstrip in Gould, Arkansas. The airplane was operated by Triple J Flying Service under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the airstrip just prior to the accident.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that after departure, he climbed to about 100 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. He attempted to restart the engine but could not regain any power. The pilot then executed a forced landing in a corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The commercial pilot was not injured.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that a bearing inside the fuel control unit (part number 8063-032-01) had failed, resulting in fuel starvation to the engine. The fuel control unit had been installed on the engine on January 11, 2011, and was last overhauled 928 hours prior to the accident. According to the overhaul facility, the manufacturer's recommended time between overhauls for the fuel control unit is 3,500 hours.