What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft engine quit during aerial application, and the acft made an emergency landing in a field, Sabetha, KS (.4) the pilot stated that the aircraft lost engine power while maneuvering near the airport and he was unable to restart the engine. The pilot reported that he landed the airplane in a pasture and the airplane came to rest after a short slide. The purpose of the accident flight was to calibrate the sprayers on the aircraft. The accident engine was inspected by the federal aviation aministration (FAA) flight standards district office (FSDO), wichita, Kansas, and no anomalies were found. (-23) on April 3, 1998, at 1000 central standard time (CST), a Piper PA-25-235, N7108Z, was substantially damaged following a total loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing in a farmer's field. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The 14 cft part 137 aerial application flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed Sabetha, Kansas, at 0955 CST. Investigation of the accident found the engine capable of operating. Mr. Admunson, stated during the interview that before the engine quit, it ac ted like it was ingesting water. The pilot stated that during the preflight, although thorough, may not have allowed enough time to drain all the water out of the fuel tank. The aircraft had been parked outside during the winter and had been exposed to rain and snow.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT ENGINE QUIT DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, AND THE ACFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, SABETHA, KS (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LOST ENGINE POWER WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR THE AIRPORT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A PASTURE AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST AFTER A SHORT SLIDE. THE PURPOSE OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS TO CALIBRATE THE SPRAYERS ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT ENGINE WAS INSPECTED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION AMINISTRATION (FAA) FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO), WICHITA, KANSAS, AND NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND. (-23) ON APRIL 3, 1998, AT 1000 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST), A PIPER PA-25-235, N7108Z, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING IN A FARMER'S FIELD. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE 14 CFT PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SABETHA, KANSAS, AT 0955 CST. INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT FOUND THE ENGINE CAPABLE OF OPERATING. MR. ADMUNSON, STATED DURING THE INTERVIEW THAT BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT, IT AC TED LIKE IT WAS INGESTING WATER. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE PREFLIGHT, ALTHOUGH THOROUGH, MAY NOT HAVE ALLOWED ENOUGH TIME TO DRAIN ALL THE WATER OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE DURING THE WINTER AND HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO RAIN AND SNOW.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.