What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 13, 1999, at 0815 central daylight tie, an air tractor AT401, N45205, collided with the ground following a reported loss of engine power near Caledonia, Mississippi. The airplane was operated by the commercial pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 137, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The flight departed columbus, Mississippi at approx. 0645. According to an FAA inspector, the pilot was spraying chemicals on a cotton field at an altitude of approx. 300 feet. As the pilot entered a right turn, the engine lost power. The pilot landed in the cotton field and collided with a tree. (.4)the pilot was spraying chemicals on a cotton field at an altitude of 300 ft. an hour and a half into the flight, he entered a right turn and the engine lost power. During the initiated forced landing, the right wing collided with a tree. The airplane spun to the right, colliding with the ground nose first, bounced several times, then came to rest. Post-examination of the engine revealed that there was an interruption of the direct drive fuel control (ddfc) gear-train due to a loss of mechanical contact between the teeth of the second and third ddfc gears. The cause for the interference was believed to have been due to excessive loading of the forward gear teeth of the third ddfc gear resulting in loss of material from the third ddfc gear. No assembly, dimensional or material defects were identified which would contribute to excessive loading or interference between the second and third ddfc gears. (-23)pilot said he put aircraft into a right turn after spraying field and the engine lost power. The aircraft hit a hedge row and landed ina cotton field. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. No injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 13, 1999, AT 0815 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIE, AN AIR TRACTOR AT401, N45205, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND FOLLOWING A REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR CALEDONIA, MISSISSIPPI. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI AT APPROX. 0645. ACCORDING TO AN FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING CHEMICALS ON A COTTON FIELD AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX. 300 FEET. AS THE PILOT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT LANDED IN THE COTTON FIELD AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. (.4)THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING CHEMICALS ON A COTTON FIELD AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FT. AN HOUR AND A HALF INTO THE FLIGHT, HE ENTERED A RIGHT TURN AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING THE INITIATED FORCED LANDING, THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE AIRPLANE SPUN TO THE RIGHT, COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND NOSE FIRST, BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES, THEN CAME TO REST. POST-EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERRUPTION OF THE DIRECT DRIVE FUEL CONTROL (DDFC) GEAR-TRAIN DUE TO A LOSS OF MECHANICAL CONTACT BETWEEN THE TEETH OF THE SECOND AND THIRD DDFC GEARS. THE CAUSE FOR THE INTERFERENCE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DUE TO EXCESSIVE LOADING OF THE FORWARD GEAR TEETH OF THE THIRD DDFC GEAR RESULTING IN LOSS OF MATERIAL FROM THE THIRD DDFC GEAR. NO ASSEMBLY, DIMENSIONAL OR MATERIAL DEFECTS WERE IDENTIFIED WHICH WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO EXCESSIVE LOADING OR INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD DDFC GEARS. (-23)PILOT SAID HE PUT AIRCRAFT INTO A RIGHT TURN AFTER SPRAYING FIELD AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A HEDGE ROW AND LANDED INA COTTON FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.