Accident Overview
On August 20, 2015, at approximately 1900 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25 Pawnee (registration N4652Y) experienced a loss of engine power while on an aerial application flight. The pilot executed a forced landing in a wheat field near Harvey, North Dakota. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was registered to a private individual and operated by Jake's Flying Service of Harvey, North Dakota, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight had originated from a private strip near Harvey at about 1855.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that while en route to the destination field, he heard noise from the engine and noticed a loss of power as the engine shuddered. He made a forced landing to a wheat field. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop, resulting in wrinkled left wing skin. The pilot stated that prior to the accident flight, he noticed a "wheezing" sound coming from the engine. He recalled that in a previous conversation with a mechanic, the mechanic suggested the "wheezing" could be a valve issue. The pilot noted that an annual inspection was completed on May 23, 2015, but no maintenance inspection was performed after the wheezing sound was detected.
Postaccident Examination
A local mechanic conducted a postaccident engine examination, which revealed two significant findings: the right magneto was "dead" and would not produce a spark at any of the terminals, and the No. 2 and No. 6 cylinders did not pass compression checks. No other anomalies were found during the examination.