Incident Overview
On October 17, 2011, a Cessna 188 agricultural aircraft was conducting its second of seven scheduled crop-dusting flights at the Grupo Haro estate. The aircraft departed from Banasur runway, loaded with 40 gallons of fuel and 150 gallons of suspended product. Shortly after takeoff and during initial climb, the pilot reported a loss of engine power that resulted in the engine shutting down.
Emergency Response and Impact
The pilot initiated emergency procedures by dumping the remaining agricultural product and attempting to restart the engine using the electric pump, which was unsuccessful. Consequently, an emergency landing was executed on a banana plantation in the La Piaña sector of Machala. The impact caused severe structural damage, including bent propeller blades, broken main gear fittings, and significant deformation to the wings and fuselage. The pilot exited the aircraft independently and sustained only minor contusions.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident examinations revealed no mechanical defects in the engine components, such as the turbocharger or fuel system, which functioned normally during subsequent testing. However, investigators noted that the clamp connecting the air intake to the turbocharger was not the specified part. Due to fuel leaks from damaged wings, laboratory analysis of fuel purity was impossible. The investigation concluded that the power loss was likely caused by foreign particles in the fuel restricting flow to the engine, leading to a stall during the emergency restart attempt.