NTSB Factual Report

On September 17, 2002, at 1210 central daylight time, a Cessna 188A single-engine agricultural airplane, N9943G, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Vincent, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the Elk Creek Spraying Service of Nacogdoches, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle Airport, Big Spring, Texas, at 1100.

In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that while spraying a cotton field at an altitude of approximately 2 to 3 feet agl, "the engine just quit." The pilot stated that he then added "some flaps" and landed straight ahead to the sandy cotton field he had been spraying. After landing and during the roll out, the pilot reported "a ditch was coming up in front of me, so in order not to hit it, I applied hard braking which caused the airplane to go up on its nose."

An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported the center portion of the firewall was structurally damaged, the engine mount was bent, both propeller blades were bent, and the left wing tip was damaged. The reason for the loss of engine power was undetermined.

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.