DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE PLT SMELLED SMOKE & HEARD A BACKFIRE, THEN THE ENG LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD ON ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT STRUCK A DITCH & WAS DAMAGED. A VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT EXHAUST MUFFLER HAD FAILED AT ITS OUTLET. THIS ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE ENG COMPARTMENT & DAMAGE THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR, ALTERNATOR & MAGNETO WIRING (P-LEADS). WITH P-LEAD FAILURE, THE MAGNETOS WOULD HAVE BEEN INOPERATIVE. AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE, AD 76-23-03, WHICH REQUIRED AN INSPECTION OF THE EXHAUST SYS EACH 100 HRS, HAD LAST BEEN COMPLIED WITH ON 8/18/82. HOWEVER THE ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR ONLY 50 FLT HRS SINCE THAT DATE.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..NONE SUITABLE

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..DITCH

Index for Sep1985 | Index of months