# Accident 19970828026989A: Scwzer G164C, Beaufort, NC, August 28, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 28, 1997, 10:15 local time
- Place: Beaufort, NC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 34.7205° N, 76.6501° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7205&lon=-76.6501&mi=10
- Aircraft: N585CK (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SCWZER G164C
- Reported engine: GARRTT TPE33110
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,379 total, 187 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA126) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970828026989A

## Narrative

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

LOUD POP ON TAKEOFF ROLL. LOST RUDDER CONTROL. EXITED RWY INTO CORNFIELD. HAD FAILED TO LOCK THE TAILWHEEL. (-23) MR. ADAMS ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FOR HIS FOURTH SPRAYING FLIGHT OF THE DAY. THE CHEMICAL HOPPER WAS PARTIALLY FILLED WITH CHEMICALS. THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS TOWARDS THE EAST WITH A NORTHEAST WIND AT APPROXIMATELY 5 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED A LOUD NOISE AT THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT AND AN EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. MR. ADAMS RAISED THE TAIL WITH A LESSENING OF VIBRATION AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT, THROUGH A FENCE AND INTO A CORNFIELD. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR DEPARTED ON STRIKING THE SURFACE AND GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES FROM THE RUNWAY AND TAKEOFF DIRECTION. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED COMPLETE CONTINUITY OF ALL CONTROLS, INCLUDING THE RUDDER AND TAILWHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM. NO MECHANICAL DEFECT EXISTED THAT COULD CAUSE THE LOSS OF RUDDER CONTROL. ALL SPRINGS, CABLES, PULLEYS AND GUIDES WERE INTACT AND FUNCTIONAL. THE TAILWHEEL WAS DIRECTLY UNDER THE TAILWHEEL SPRING ASSEMBLY WITH ALL FOUR ATTACHMENT BOLTS SHEA                                          RED OFF. NO MECHANICAL ABNORMALITY COULD BE FOUND FOR LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A REEXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S CERTIFICATE WIL BE PERFORMED.

## 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 ATL97LA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA126), Aug 28, 1997: Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164C (N585CK), Beaufort, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to ensure the tailwheel was properly locked, while taking off on an asphalt runway, which led to loss of directional control and a ground swerve.

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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