MIA00LA233

The pilot/owner stated that he was maneuvering during spraying activities, when he lost engine power, observed smoke coming from the engine compartment, and attempted a forced landing, subsequently impacting with a ditch. After the accident, he looked into the engine area and observed 'a hole in the crankcase of the engine.' He did not teardown the engine after the accident, but on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, under mechanical malfunction failure, he wrote, '...possible connecting rod breakage or piston pin failure....' The airplane was 52 hours out of an annual inspection at the time of the accident.

On August 06, 2000, about 1115 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 188B, N4439Q, registered to and operated by Mike's Spraying Service as a Title 14 CFR Part 137 agricultural flight, made a forced landing in Washington, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot reported no injuries and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Greenville, North Carolina, about 0945.

The pilot/owner stated that he was maneuvering during spraying activities, when he lost engine power, observed smoke coming from the engine compartment, and attempted a forced landing. During rollout, the pilot stated that he saw a ditch and tried to avoid it. The aircraft skidded sideways and pitched over on its nose.

The pilot/owner said that he did not tear down the engine after the accident, but on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, under mechanical malfunction failure, he wrote, "...possible connecting rod breakage or piston pin failure...." The pilot/owner told the FAA after the accident he looked into the engine area and observed "a hole in the crankcase of the engine." The airplane had accumulated 52 flight hours since the last annual inspection.