# Accident 19960807021379A: Scwzer G164A, Grant, NE, August 7, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 7, 1996, 09:19 local time
- Place: Grant, NE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: A22G
- Location: 40.8409° N, 101.7200° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8409&lon=-101.7200&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8842H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8842H-2017-08-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A (registry code 3952801, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SCWZER G164A
- Reported engine: PWA R985*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,473 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 374 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA281) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960807021379A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT NUMBER 9 CYLINDER HEAD FAILED DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CORN FIELD.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 41 FEET, ENTERING HIS EIGHTH SWATH RUN, WHEN THE NUMBER NINE CYLINDER 'EXPLODED.' THE WINDSCREEN BECAME COVERED WITH OIL.  HE MADE A SHALLOW TURN TO AVOID A ROTARY IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A CORN FIELD.  DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE LEFT WING IMPACTED THE CORN AND THE LANDING GEAR 'STARTED SINKING INTO THE MUD.'  THE AIRPLANE 'SPUN AROUND' SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LOWER WINGS, FUSELAGE, AND LEFT WING SUPPORT STRUTS.  EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE NUMBER NINE CYLINDER WAS FRACTURED BETWEEN THE BARREL AND THE HEAD.  EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE CRACKING WAS EVIDENT AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE HEAD.  THE MAJOR FATIGUE ZONES ACCOUNTED FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 PERCENT OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96LA281](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA281), Aug 7, 1996: Grumman-Schweizer G-164 (N8842H), Grant, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: fatigue failure and subsequent catastrophic failure of the number nine cylinder. A factor was the corn.

## Other reports on N8842H (3)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19910620023769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910620023769A), Jun 20, 1991: Scwzer G164A (N8842H), Edgar, NE, Substantial damage. Engine overheated. Landed on a road to check. Wind struck gas meter pipe. A rag was covering the oil cooler.
- [Incident 19810601043259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810601043259I), Jun 1, 1981: Grumav G164A (N8842H), Ogallala, NE. Engine stopped inflight. During maintenance mechanic inadvertently crossed the fuel vent lines.
- [Accident 19790617012659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790617012659A), Jun 17, 1979: Gulstm G164 (N8842H), Moscow, KS, Destroyed. Struck wires on pullup from spray run.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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