What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 26, 1999, at 1530 central daylight time, an air tractor AT-301 agricultural airplane, N4393S, registered to a private individual and operated by anf air services of garwood, Texas, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Victoria, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from the Victoria regional airport, Victoria, Texas. According to preliminary information, the aircraft was on its first swath run of a boll weevil eradication flight when the engine cowling separated from the aircraft. As the cowling separated it struck the engine and propeller. The engine lost power and the pilot executed a forced landing to a cotton field. During the landing roll the aircraft "spun" around. Examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector revealed that the right main landing gear was sheared off, and the left wing was pulled away from the fuselage. Further examination of the engine revealed two push rod tubes bent. According to the FAA inspector, the fractured engine cowling support bracket had a "dull surface like it had been broken for a while." (.4)the agricultural airplane was on its first swath run of a boll weevil eradication flight when the engine cowling separated and struck the propeller and engine. The engine lost power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a cotton field. During the landing roll, the aircraft 'spun' around. The FAA inspector reported that the fractured engine cowling support bracket had a 'dull surface like it had been broken for a while.' Examination of the aircraft's engine revealed that four push rod tubes were bent. (-23) pilot (sole occupant) departed Victoria regional airport, approximately 20 minutes into flight, first pass over field, he observed blue smoke from engine in-flight. Lost engine cowling and power in flight, landed/ground looped into a cotton field. Accident scene was approximately 10 to 15 nautical miles sw of Victoria regional airport. Substantial damage to aircraft with no pilot injuries. There was no further property damage observed. It appeared that the engine cowling came loose and struck the propeller an d several push rods resulting in a loss of power. Upon landing, the right wing was dragged, the right main gear collapsed and the left wing had separated from the fuselage. The engine cowling was found several hundred feet from the aircraft. This office consider this report closed. Photographs are enclosed.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 26, 1999, AT 1530 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301 AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N4393S, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND OPERATED BY ANF AIR SERVICES OF GARWOOD, TEXAS, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR VICTORIA, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT, VICTORIA, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY INFORMATION, THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS FIRST SWATH RUN OF A BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE COWLING SEPARATED IT STRUCK THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER. THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COTTON FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT "SPUN" AROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF, AND THE LEFT WING WAS PULLED AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED TWO PUSH ROD TUBES BENT. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE FRACTURED ENGINE COWLING SUPPORT BRACKET HAD A "DULL SURFACE LIKE IT HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR A WHILE." (.4)THE AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE WAS ON ITS FIRST SWATH RUN OF A BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE COWLING SEPARATED AND STRUCK THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE. THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COTTON FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT 'SPUN' AROUND. THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE FRACTURED ENGINE COWLING SUPPORT BRACKET HAD A 'DULL SURFACE LIKE IT HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR A WHILE.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE REVEALED THAT FOUR PUSH ROD TUBES WERE BENT. (-23) PILOT (SOLE OCCUPANT) DEPARTED VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT, APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, FIRST PASS OVER FIELD, HE OBSERVED BLUE SMOKE FROM ENGINE IN-FLIGHT. LOST ENGINE COWLING AND POWER IN FLIGHT, LANDED/GROUND LOOPED INTO A COTTON FIELD. ACCIDENT SCENE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 NAUTICAL MILES SW OF VICTORIA REGIONAL AIRPORT. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT WITH NO PILOT INJURIES. THERE WAS NO FURTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE OBSERVED. IT APPEARED THAT THE ENGINE COWLING CAME LOOSE AND STRUCK THE PROPELLER AN D SEVERAL PUSH RODS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER. UPON LANDING, THE RIGHT WING WAS DRAGGED, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE ENGINE COWLING WAS FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THIS OFFICE CONSIDER THIS REPORT CLOSED. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE ENCLOSED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.