Crash of a Cessna T207A Skywagon in Boise

Before takeoff, the pilot filed a company flight plan for a VFR flight from Boise to Salmon, ID. He reported that during initial climb, the engine surged, then seemed to return to normal operation. He reduced the power to 33 inches of manifold pressure and set the propeller to 2,550 rpm. Shortly thereafter, the engine began losing power again, there was a second surge, then the propeller stopped. During an emergency landing, the pilot elected to cross over a road and land in an open field. He saw a power line along the road at the edge of the field and elected to cross under it to land. However, he did not see a single telephone pole on the opposite side of the road. The left wing struck the pole and the plane cartwheeled and crashed. Three occupants escaped with minor injuries and four others were uninjured. An investigation revealed that the crankshaft had failed from fatigue.