THRUSH AIRCRAFT INC S2G

Full Narrative

On June 17, 2024, about 1000 central daylight time, a Thrush Aircraft S2R-G10 airplane, N529KC, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Hebron, North Dakota. The commercial pilot sustained no injury. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.

The purpose of the low-level flight was to apply liquid chemical to a rural wheat field. The airplane departed from the Chase Airstrip (6NA5), Hebron, North Dakota. Shortly after completing the aerial application work and with an empty hopper, the engine began surging, with the engine power fluctuating between different settings. The pilot decided to return to 6NA5 to land the airplane. While enroute to 6NA5, the engine sustained a total loss of power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a rural dirt road. During the landing, the airplane departed the road and came to rest upright in a grass ditch. The pilot was able to egress from the airplane without further incident.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The airplane was recovered from the accident site and was transported to a secure location for a future examination.

The airplane, known as a Turbo Thrush, was equipped with a Honeywell TPE331-10-511M turboprop engine and a Hartzell HC-B3MN-5L/LM11693N controllable pitch three-blade aluminum propeller. At the time of the accident, the Hobbs meter showed 2,185.0 hours.

A preliminary review of the engine maintenance records showed at 2,184.2 hours, a hot section inspection, a propeller pitch control inspection, and a fuel control spline inspection were performed by TAE Aerospace (a Honeywell TPE331 series authorized service center for major maintenance work) in Midvale, Idaho, on December 21, 2023. Additionally, three Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directives (2006-14-03, 2016-21-07, and 2018-17-15) were complied with. The maintenance work was finalized with an engine test run and a leak check, among several other actions.

The estimated density altitude for the closest meteorological reporting station was 2,742 ft.