What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot was maneuvering aircraft during aerial application operations when power was lost. Pilot made an emergency landing in adjacent field. Aircraft sustained damage to left wing, left landing gear was broken off, and right landing gear collapsed. The pilot was not injures. Investigation pending as to cause of loss of power. (.4) the pilot was performing a sprayer calibration test when the engine suffered a substantial loss of power. The pilot was operating at approximately 50 feet above ground level (AGL) at the time of the power loss. The pilot stated that he was at too low an altitude to trouble shoot the power loss and maneuver the aircraft into an open field. Upon touch down the left main gear dug into the soft mud, collapsed the left main gear, which resulted in the left wing impacting the terrain. The pilot stated that the aircraft rotated about the left wing, approximately 80-degrees, and then came to a stop. Post accident investigation revealed that the engine would not sustain power at idle or any power setting with the fuel boost pump in the 'off ' position. Investigation of the fuel system revealed that the 'b' nut on the fuel line from the firewall to the back of the engine was loose. After the nut had been tightened the engine performed, without hesitation, at all power settings with the fuel pump in the 'off' position. No other aircraft or engine anomalies were found.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT WAS MANEUVERING AIRCRAFT DURING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS WHEN POWER WAS LOST. PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN ADJACENT FIELD. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO LEFT WING, LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS BROKEN OFF, AND RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURES. INVESTIGATION PENDING AS TO CAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER. (.4) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A SPRAYER CALIBRATION TEST WHEN THE ENGINE SUFFERED A SUBSTANTIAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) AT THE TIME OF THE POWER LOSS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE POWER LOSS AND MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT INTO AN OPEN FIELD. UPON TOUCH DOWN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT MUD, COLLAPSED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LEFT WING IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED ABOUT THE LEFT WING, APPROXIMATELY 80-DEGREES, AND THEN CAME TO A STOP. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT SUSTAIN POWER AT IDLE OR ANY POWER SETTING WITH THE FUEL BOOST PUMP IN THE 'OFF ' POSITION. INVESTIGATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE 'B' NUT ON THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE BACK OF THE ENGINE WAS LOOSE. AFTER THE NUT HAD BEEN TIGHTENED THE ENGINE PERFORMED, WITHOUT HESITATION, AT ALL POWER SETTINGS WITH THE FUEL PUMP IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. NO OTHER AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE ANOMALIES WERE FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.