Incident Overview
On August 15, 2023, at approximately 1045 central daylight time, an Air Tractor Inc AT-502 agricultural aircraft, registration N9082C, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Great Bend, North Dakota. The aircraft was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an agricultural flight. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported no injuries.
Pilot's Initial Account
According to the pilot, the accident occurred after completing an aerial application. While turning, the engine lost power. The pilot advanced the power lever to full, but the engine did not respond. He attempted a forced landing on a nearby county road. The airplane landed hard, bounced, floated, then settled back on the road before veering off into a ditch and coming to rest in an adjacent farm field. The pilot recalled hearing the engine noise change and saw the torque needle decrease to near 500 and falling; he did not see it reach zero, and it did not increase when he advanced the power lever.
Revised Pilot Statement
In a subsequent statement, the pilot reviewed speed and altitude data from the airplane's track log and noted that his recollection did not match the data. He stated, "The log shows no loss of airspeed that would indicate a loss of power before the initial impact with the ground." He further expressed that he was no longer confident in his original power loss recollection and said, "With this new information it would appear to me that this incident was likely caused by pilot error. It has become evident to me that my memory of the event in that moment are patchy, scrambled, and likely inaccurate."
Aircraft Damage and Examination
The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, engine, and main landing gear. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left and right tubular clusters where the main landing gear attach. Both fuel tank gauges indicated half full. The fuel control unit (FCU) and fuel pump were retained for examination. The FCU showed black material near the Py orifice inlet; the manufacturer identified it as soft debris likely from an O-ring packing on the P3 air inlet fitting. The manufacturer stated that the debris size and location did not completely obstruct the inlet and would have allowed air passage, not hindering operability. Bench testing of the FCU and fuel pump showed normal performance. No other preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions were found that would have precluded normal operations.