NTSB Identification: SEA95LA154.
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Accident occurred Monday, July 17, 1995 in ROBERTS, ID
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/08/1996
Aircraft: AIR TRACTOR AT-301, registration: N4326S
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT 40 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND BEGAN BACKFIRING. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A BARLEY FIELD WITH 3-FOOT-TALL CROPS, AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM HOUSING ON THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER SEPARATED, DISABLING THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM SHAFT FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD, WHICH DISABLED MOVEMENT OF THE EXHAUST VALVE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING. Full narrative available
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