What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While in cruise at 7000 feet, 30 minutes into the flight, enroute from farmingdale, NY (frg) to saratoga, NY (5B2), the pilot heard a "strange noise" from the engine. Carried on board the aircraft were aproximately 124 half pound sticks of amonia nitrate, 112 blasting caps and five passengers. The pilot stated all engine indications were normal except for the torque gauge, which showed a drop of aproximately 300 pounds indicated. The torque appeared to be coming back and the "strange noise" happened a second time. The PIC declared an emergency with boston center. Shortly after the second occurence the pilot stated the engine lost power. An engine restart was attempted, but was unsuccessful. The propeller was feathered. The pilot stated that he was going to try and make great barrington airport, MA (gbr). Aproximately 5 miles south of gbr the PIC realized he could not make gbr and set up an approach to a soy bean field in Sheffield, MA. Several witnesses on the ground stated they observed flames coming from the underside of the aircraft. While turning for the approach to the field the passengers seated on the right side of the aircraft stated they saw fire. The aircraft landed in the field. Landing at the south end of the field the aircraft struck trees and a stone wall tearing off the right wing and main landing gear. The aircraft turned 90 degrees and ended on the other the side of a dirt road facing east. Most of the aircraft was consumed by a post crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE IN CRUISE AT 7000 FEET, 30 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, ENROUTE FROM FARMINGDALE, NY (FRG) TO SARATOGA, NY (5B2), THE PILOT HEARD A "STRANGE NOISE" FROM THE ENGINE. CARRIED ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT WERE APROXIMATELY 124 HALF POUND STICKS OF AMONIA NITRATE, 112 BLASTING CAPS AND FIVE PASSENGERS. THE PILOT STATED ALL ENGINE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL EXCEPT FOR THE TORQUE GAUGE, WHICH SHOWED A DROP OF APROXIMATELY 300 POUNDS INDICATED. THE TORQUE APPEARED TO BE COMING BACK AND THE "STRANGE NOISE" HAPPENED A SECOND TIME. THE PIC DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH BOSTON CENTER. SHORTLY AFTER THE SECOND OCCURENCE THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN ENGINE RESTART WAS ATTEMPTED, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PROPELLER WAS FEATHERED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS GOING TO TRY AND MAKE GREAT BARRINGTON AIRPORT, MA (GBR). APROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF GBR THE PIC REALIZED HE COULD NOT MAKE GBR AND SET UP AN APPROACH TO A SOY BEAN FIELD IN SHEFFIELD, MA. SEVERAL WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THEY OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. WHILE TURNING FOR THE APPROACH TO THE FIELD THE PASSENGERS SEATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT STATED THEY SAW FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE FIELD. LANDING AT THE SOUTH END OF THE FIELD THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND A STONE WALL TEARING OFF THE RIGHT WING AND MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 90 DEGREES AND ENDED ON THE OTHER THE SIDE OF A DIRT ROAD FACING EAST. MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY A POST CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.