What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) According to the pilot, he had just completed his last swath run and was returning to the moncks corner/berkeley county airport (59J). The airplane was set at cruise power when the turbine engine seized with no warning. The pilot attempted to land in a field but landed in the tree tops about 400 yards past the field. The pilot was able to egress and climb down the tree without injuries. Engine tear down is pending. (-23 amendment) engine tear down revealed engine spur gearshift, p/n 3101144-7 failed at the splined end. Spur gearshaft and planetary gear assemblies sent to NTSB Washington lab for further analysis.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD JUST COMPLETED HIS LAST SWATH RUN AND WAS RETURNING TO THE MONCKS CORNER/BERKELEY COUNTY AIRPORT (59J). THE AIRPLANE WAS SET AT CRUISE POWER WHEN THE TURBINE ENGINE SEIZED WITH NO WARNING. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD BUT LANDED IN THE TREE TOPS ABOUT 400 YARDS PAST THE FIELD. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EGRESS AND CLIMB DOWN THE TREE WITHOUT INJURIES. ENGINE TEAR DOWN IS PENDING. (-23 AMENDMENT) ENGINE TEAR DOWN REVEALED ENGINE SPUR GEARSHIFT, P/N 3101144-7 FAILED AT THE SPLINED END. SPUR GEARSHAFT AND PLANETARY GEAR ASSEMBLIES SENT TO NTSB WASHINGTON LAB FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.