Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ripley, California 92225
Thursday, July 13, 2000 7:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A partial loss of engine power was experienced during an aerial application flight. During the pilot's attempted forced landing in a cotton field, the airplane collided with a dirt berm and nosed over. An examination of the engine revealed that the connecting rod associated with the No. 7 cylinder had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rod pieces were severely peened and damaged, and the mode of separation could not be determined. No other evidence of any preexisting failures or malfunctions was noted. The airplane engine's total time was 5,267 hours. It had been operated for 475 hours since receiving its last major overhaul.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to the separation of a connecting rod from the crankshaft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 715
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RIPLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92225
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID BLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 397
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 91
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 39
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10701
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 9 2001 3:21PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4508Y
NTSB Number LAX00LA271
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-401
Aircraft Series Identifier AT-401
Aircraft Serial Number 401-0751
Certified Max Gross Weight 7860
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 9 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 76
Airframe Hours 5267
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRENT K. CARPENTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City JONESBORO
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72404
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FARMERS AERIAL SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 915
Operator City BLYTHE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92226
Operator Code ROXG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BLH
Departure City BLYTHE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 23 2001 4:00AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --