N731BQ

On October 31, 1996, at 1150 eastern standard time, a Cessna 188B, N731BQ, collided with the ground during a forced landing attempt near Ocilla, Georgia. The aerial application flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial rated pilot was not injured. The flight departed a private airstrip in Ocilla, at 1130.

According to the pilot, he experienced a complete loss of engine power as he maneuvered for a swath run. The pilot selected a cotton field adjacent to the field that he was spraying, and attempted a forced landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage during the emergency landing.

The examination of the airframe and the engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical problem. No fuel was recovered from the aircraft fuel system; however, the fuel bladder was damaged and a small quantity of fuel was reportedly spilled in the bottom of the wing assembly. According to the Cessna 188B flight manual, two gallons of fuel are unusable in the aircraft fuel system. During a functional check of the engine assembly, the engine started and operated normally.