Thrush S2R-H80 N3045R

Summary

On 5 May 2017 at about 19:50 local time, a Thrush S2R-H80 registered N3045R, operated by Central Ag Air LLC, was involved in an accident near Gypsum, Kansas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 May 2017 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Gypsum, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

38.6614, -97.3797

Aircraft

Thrush S2R-H80

Registration

N3045R

Category

Airplane

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Central Ag Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marion → Marion

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN17LA176

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during a low-altitude agricultural application flight for reasons that could not be determined during detailed examinations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow the airplane manufacturer's emergency procedures to recover engine power, which resulted in a forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot stated that, after completing a portion of a low-level agricultural application flight, the engine power decreased "significantly." The pilot pushed the power lever full forward, but the engine did not respond. He made several more passes to get more weight off the airplane to see if the engine would regain power; however, engine power did not increase, so the pilot flew the airplane back toward the departure airport. The pilot tried to climb the airplane but there was insufficient power to do so, and he then saw smoke coming out both exhausts. The engine then lost all power. Subsequently, the pilot conducted a forced landing in a field, and the airplane slid through a fence and then stopped, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. A review of data downloaded from the engine monitor revealed engine operation consistent with a fuel interruption and a subsequent loss of engine power. During postaccident examination, the main electric fuel boost pump was found operational. However, it did not meet standard acceptance test criteria. The engine was not test run; however, component level testing of the fuel control unit, the emergency electric fuel pump, and the starting and limiting unit revealed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. Thus, the reason for the interruption in fuel flow and the subsequent loss of engine power could not be determined. However, the airplane manufacturer has subsequently developed a redesign and has issued a service bulletin to address the fuel system, including electric fuel pumps and plumbing. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) contained a Failure of Automatic Fuel Scheduling checklist, and the first step of this checklist was to engage the emergency governor. The pilot reported that he did not follow these procedures when the engine power decreased. Further, the AFM contained an Engine Failure In-Flight checklist, and the first step of the checklist was to dump the hopper. The pilot reported that he did not dump the hopper when the engine lost power. The pilot's failure to subsequently follow the emergency procedures to recover engine power likely necessitated the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.