What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 04/02/2024 at approximately 1300 hours, a 1984 ag cat G164 with FAA registration privacy data omitted, was being piloted under 137 operations for aerial applications by a single pilot in command. The aircraft departed a private airstrip near 2LA9, loaded the aircraft and departed moments after with all engines instruments indicating normal operation. Moments after takeoff and after reaching an altitude of about 100 feet, the pilot claims that the engine lost power and he was forced to perform an emergency landing in a nearby crawfish pond. The impact and friction with the landing gear in the crawfish pond, caused the aircraft to flip over causing significant damage to the airframe, ripping off the spreader assembly from the underside of the crop-duster, causing damage to the tail and partially ripping of the engine compartment of the aircraft. The pilot was able to safely exit the aircraft with no injuries and refused medical treatment by first responders on site.
Aircraft engine will be shipped out for further evaluation to potentially determine exact cause. This report could be ammended after NTSB relases its findings.
As the FAA filed it
ON 04/02/2024 AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 HOURS, A 1984 AG CAT G164 WITH FAA REGISTRATION ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS BEING PILOTED UNDER 137 OPERATIONS FOR AERIAL APPLICATIONS BY A SINGLE PILOT IN COMMAND. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR 2LA9, LOADED THE AIRCRAFT AND DEPARTED MOMENTS AFTER WITH ALL ENGINES INSTRUMENTS INDICATING NORMAL OPERATION. MOMENTS AFTER TAKEOFF AND AFTER REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100 FEET, THE PILOT CLAIMS THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND HE WAS FORCED TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A NEARBY CRAWFISH POND. THE IMPACT AND FRICTION WITH THE LANDING GEAR IN THE CRAWFISH POND, CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME, RIPPING OFF THE SPREADER ASSEMBLY FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CROP-DUSTER, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL AND PARTIALLY RIPPING OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES AND REFUSED MEDICAL TREATMENT BY FIRST RESPONDERS ON SITE.
AIRCRAFT ENGINE WILL BE SHIPPED OUT FOR FURTHER EVALUATION TO POTENTIALLY DETERMINE EXACT CAUSE. THIS REPORT COULD BE AMMENDED AFTER NTSB RELASES ITS FINDINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.