AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502B

Full Narrative

June 3, 2010, approximately 1700 central daylight time, N6083G, an Air Tractor AT-502B single-engine turbo-prop airplane, was spraying a rice field when the engine stopped producing power and made a forced landing to a corn field south of Pollard, Arkansas. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Danny's Air-Agri Service, Incorporated, Jonesboro, Arkansas. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the aerial spraying flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137.

In a written statement, the pilot stated that he was on his third pass spraying fertilizer over a rice field when the engine "suddenly died on me." He said the airplane was descending fast and his only option was to land in a corn field.

An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. The airplane sustained damage to the outboard sections of the left and right wings, and the empennage was bent about 45 degrees to the right. Approximately 30 gallons of aviation gasoline was drained from both wing fuel tanks.

The airplane was moved to a secure facility and the engine was examined on the airframe by a representative of Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) under the supervision of the FAA. All airframe to engine connections were intact and secure. The power section rotated freely by hand and was continuous with the power turbine and all reduction gearbox drives. The gas generator section rotated freely by hand, and was continuous with the accessory gearbox and all accessory drives. All external lines, and all filters and screens were unremarkable and no anomalies were noted that would have caused a loss of engine power.

The high pressure fuel pump, fuel control unit, and propeller governor were removed and functionally tested at PWC's testing facility in Montreal, Canada, under the supervision of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. No anomalies were noted with any of the accessories that would have resulted in a loss of engine power.

The pilot had a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single engine land, and instrument airplane. His last FAA second class medical certificate was issued on March 9, 2010. At that time, the pilot reported a total of 14,510 hours; of which 4,215 hours were in the same make/model as the accident airplane.