Accident Details
On May 11, 2016, at about 1400 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B AgCat, registration N8362K, performed a forced landing in a field near Lyons Point, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, operating under 14 CFR Part 137 for aerial application, was not injured. The aircraft, registered to Vincent Flying Service, Inc., of Kaplan, Louisiana, sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight had just departed from a private airstrip.
The pilot reported that this was his seventh aerial application job of the day, involving fifteen loads. The accident flight was the seventh load, with about 60 gallons of fuel and approximately 2,000 lbs of product in the hopper. When the aircraft reached an altitude of 50 to 75 ft (above the height of a telephone pole), the engine experienced a total loss of power without prior indications. The pilot executed a forced landing to a rice field. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear separated, and the aircraft continued onto a farm road. After coming to rest, smoke was observed from the engine compartment, and fuel leaked from the fuel tanks.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector noted fuel on the ground near a breached fuel tank and corrosion around the fuel tank inlet cap. Approximately 9 gallons of fuel were recovered: 7 gallons from the left tank and 2 gallons from the right tank. Examination of the fuel control filter revealed cloudy fuel containing floating debris; the paper filter was discolored and contained debris. The airframe fuel filter bowl contained a significant amount of debris, including leaves, grass, insects, and dirt. The right fuel tank and associated fuel screens were clear of debris.
Maintenance Records
Review of the aircraft maintenance records showed that an annual inspection was completed on November 1, 2015, and a 100-hour inspection was completed on February 15, 2016.