NTSB Factual Report

On May 5, 2017, about 1500 central daylight time, a Thrush Aircraft Inc. S2R-H80 airplane, N3045R, impacted terrain during a forced landing near Gypsum, Kansas, following a loss of engine power. The commercial pilot was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial fuselage damage during the forced landing. The airplane was registered to and operated by Central Ag Air LLC as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations 137 aerial application flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from a private airstrip at time unknown.

According to preliminary information, the pilot reported that the engine did not produce full power when the throttle was applied during an aerial application maneuver. The airplane was unable to maintain altitude and the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing where the airplane sustained the substantial damage.