Cessna A188 near Sedalia, MO — 2018-08-06

Final reportCEN18LA321

Date: 2018-08-06
Location: Sedalia, MO, USA
Aircraft: Cessna A188
Registration: N4996R
Category: Airplane
Highest injury: Minor
Fatalities: 0
Phase of flight: Maneuvering

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power during low-altitude maneuvering for reasons that could not be determined due to postimpact fire damage.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting an agricultural application flight. He stated that he felt a loss of engine power when he pulled up during a second pass over a field. He pushed the throttle and mixture controls forward, but the engine power did not increase. He dumped the payload and then located a landing area. The pilot flew the airplane at its best glide speed, and the airplane struck a tree short of the landing area. Subsequently, the airplane spun right. He pulled the control stick back and applied right rudder to maintain the airplane in an upright attitude before it impacted the ground and erupted into a postimpact fire. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the two propeller blades were relatively straight, consistent with a lack of torsion, indicating that the engine lost all power before impact. Postimpact fire destroyed the engine, engine accessories, and airframe, which precluded functional testing of any components. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.