What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) Shortly after liftoff from the runway, the engine backfired and lost power. An eyewitness at the airport reported seeing black smoke coming from the airplane during the attempted takeoff. The pilot turned right and selected a field for the emergency landing. After clearing a nearby pond, the pilot dumped the load of chemicals, and landed in a field about 300 yards beyond the pond. The examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem. During the examination of the engine, fuel was recovered from the fuel system. Examination of the carburetor also failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. A review of the weather data disclosed that the temperature was 68 degrees, and the dew point was 66 degrees. According to the icing probability curves, conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. (-23) on sept. 1, 1999, a 14 CFR 137 operator departed Cairo-Grady County Airport (Georgia-70J) to conduct spraying operations. During departure, the aircraft engine began to spew black smoke (indicating a rich mixture). The pilot began to dump his chemical load and the engine temporarily started to run properly, and the pilot discontinued the dumping operation seconds later. The smoke began again and the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to return to the airport (70J) and realized that he was not going to clear the trees. An emergency landing was attempted in a field. The aircraft made a hard landing where substantial damage to the aircraft occurred. The pilot was not injured. The NTSB was conducting an engine teardown to determine loss of power.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND LOST POWER. AN EYEWITNESS AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED SEEING BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT TURNED RIGHT AND SELECTED A FIELD FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING. AFTER CLEARING A NEARBY POND, THE PILOT DUMPED THE LOAD OF CHEMICALS, AND LANDED IN A FIELD ABOUT 300 YARDS BEYOND THE POND. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, FUEL WAS RECOVERED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR ALSO FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR COMPONENT FAILURE. A REVIEW OF THE WEATHER DATA DISCLOSED THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS 68 DEGREES, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 66 DEGREES. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. (-23) ON SEPT. 1, 1999, A 14 CFR 137 OPERATOR DEPARTED CAIRO-GRADY COUNTY AIRPORT (GEORGIA-70J) TO CONDUCT SPRAYING OPERATIONS. DURING DEPARTURE, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SPEW BLACK SMOKE (INDICATING A RICH MIXTURE). THE PILOT BEGAN TO DUMP HIS CHEMICAL LOAD AND THE ENGINE TEMPORARILY STARTED TO RUN PROPERLY, AND THE PILOT DISCONTINUED THE DUMPING OPERATION SECONDS LATER. THE SMOKE BEGAN AGAIN AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT (70J) AND REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO CLEAR THE TREES. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED IN A FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING WHERE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE NTSB WAS CONDUCTING AN ENGINE TEARDOWN TO DETERMINE LOSS OF POWER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.