19970829026839A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-301 · Clewiston, FL · August 29, 1997

Date: August 29, 1997 · 13:30 local
Place: Clewiston, FL
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: NGFG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7307C
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL97LA127
Reported as: Airtrc AT301
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340AN1
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,215 total2,110 in this make and model242 in the last 90 days

N7307CRegistration cancelled Aug 22, 2012 · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0616 · Built 1985 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-301 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Engine shaking losing power. Landed in soft field. Nosed over. Nr 8 cylinder had cracked thru spark plug hole. (-23) on 08/29/97 at approximately 1230 eastern time, a air tractor AT-301, N7307C lost engine power and made a forced landing into a field at Clewiston, Florida. The aircraft was operated by story aviation under CFR 14, part 137. Investigations revealed that #8 cylinder head had a crack which propagated through the center of the spark plug hole and around the cylinder head. The pilot was not injured, but, the aircraft received substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.

As the FAA filed it

ENGINE SHAKING LOSING POWER. LANDED IN SOFT FIELD. NOSED OVER. NR 8 CYLINDER HAD CRACKED THRU SPARK PLUG HOLE. (-23) ON 08/29/97 AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 EASTERN TIME, A AIR TRACTOR AT-301, N7307C LOST ENGINE POWER AND MADE A FORCED LANDING INTO A FIELD AT CLEWISTON, FLORIDA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY STORY AVIATION UNDER CFR 14, PART 137. INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED THAT #8 CYLINDER HEAD HAD A CRACK WHICH PROPAGATED THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE SPARK PLUG HOLE AND AROUND THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, BUT, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL97LA127Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportClewiston, FLThe crack in the #8 cylinder head which led to the loss of power. A factor was the soft terrain.Aug 29, 1997 · Substantial damage