Accident Air Tractor AT-301 N3158Z, Tuesday 7 November 1989

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Date:	Tuesday 7 November 1989
Time:	10:45 LT
Type:	Air Tractor AT-301
Owner/operator:	Ellinwood Flying Service, Inc.
Registration:	N3158Z
MSN:	301-0457
Total airframe hrs:	2365 hours
Engine model:	P&W R1340-AN1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Ellinwood, KS - United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Agricultural
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING CLIMBOUT HE BELIEVED THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG PWR. HE DUMPED HIS CHEMICAL LOAD AS THE ACFT DESCENDED. HE MANEUVERED THE ACFT TO AVOID SEVERAL OBSTACLES, BUT THE LEFT GEAR EVENTUALLY SEPARATED AFTER THE ACFT LANDED IN SOFT DIRT. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE REPORTED PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE PWR; THE DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENG DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION.

Probable Cause: THE PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT DIRT.

Accident investigation: