What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 5, 2017, at approximately 1500 hrs central standard time, the airman, and pilot-in-command, of a Thrush aircraft,S2R-H80, was involved in an aircraft accident after losing power and landing in a field east of Gypsum, KS. The S2R-H80 is owned and operated by the part 137 certificate holder. Pursuant to the airman's verbal and written statements, the S2R-H80 was conducting agriculture spraying operations southeast of Gypsum, KS, approximately 40 miles from the home base of operations at marion municipal airport, 43K, marion, KS. During a pass for spraying, the aircraft significantly decreased in power. The airman pushed the power lever forward as FAR as it would go and the engine did not respond. The airman decided to continue spraying conducting several more passes to off load the chemical to see if the power would come back. With the power not coming back, the airman exited the spraying operation, and head towards 43K. The airman noted that the aircraft was within normal operating specifications with the interstage turbine temperature (itt) at 523, fuel pressure at 25.6PSI, oil pressure at 37PSI, and oil temperature at 67. The airman attempted to gain altitude, however, the aircraft was not producing enough power. The aircraft made it approximately 3 miles from the spraying operation when heavy smoke started coming from both exhaust outlets and the engine shut off. The airman turned the aircraft left (east/northeast) to land in an alfalfa field. The aircraft touched down in the corner of a pasture, striking multiple fence posts, sliding through a gully and striking more fence posts, before coming to a full stop in the alfalfa field.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 5, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 HRS CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, THE AIRMAN, AND PILOT-IN-COMMAND, OF A THRUSH AIRCRAFT,S2R-H80, WAS INVOLVED IN AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT AFTER LOSING POWER AND LANDING IN A FIELD EAST OF GYPSUM, KS. THE S2R-H80 IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PART 137 CERTIFICATE HOLDER. PURSUANT TO THE AIRMAN'S VERBAL AND WRITTEN STATEMENTS, THE S2R-H80 WAS CONDUCTING AGRICULTURE SPRAYING OPERATIONS SOUTHEAST OF GYPSUM, KS, APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES FROM THE HOME BASE OF OPERATIONS AT MARION MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, 43K, MARION, KS. DURING A PASS FOR SPRAYING, THE AIRCRAFT SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED IN POWER. THE AIRMAN PUSHED THE POWER LEVER FORWARD AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIRMAN DECIDED TO CONTINUE SPRAYING CONDUCTING SEVERAL MORE PASSES TO OFF LOAD THE CHEMICAL TO SEE IF THE POWER WOULD COME BACK. WITH THE POWER NOT COMING BACK, THE AIRMAN EXITED THE SPRAYING OPERATION, AND HEAD TOWARDS 43K. THE AIRMAN NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN NORMAL OPERATING SPECIFICATIONS WITH THE INTERSTAGE TURBINE TEMPERATURE (ITT) AT 523, FUEL PRESSURE AT 25.6PSI, OIL PRESSURE AT 37PSI, AND OIL TEMPERATURE AT 67. THE AIRMAN ATTEMPTED TO GAIN ALTITUDE, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH POWER. THE AIRCRAFT MADE IT APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM THE SPRAYING OPERATION WHEN HEAVY SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM BOTH EXHAUST OUTLETS AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE AIRMAN TURNED THE AIRCRAFT LEFT (EAST/NORTHEAST) TO LAND IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN THE CORNER OF A PASTURE, STRIKING MULTIPLE FENCE POSTS, SLIDING THROUGH A GULLY AND STRIKING MORE FENCE POSTS, BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP IN THE ALFALFA FIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.