# Accident 19971124034879A: Scwzer G164B, Lecompte, LA, November 24, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 24, 1997, 16:00 local time - Place: Lecompte, LA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Climb - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.0799° N, 92.3900° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.0799&lon=-92.3900&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2LU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2LU) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B (registry code 3979904, https://openairdocs.org/model/gulfstream-schweizer-a-c-gulfstream-am-g-164b) (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 G164B - Reported engine: PWA R985* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 14,500 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA058) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971124034879A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT STALLED ON TAKE OFF AND STRUCK TREES. LECOMPTE, LA. (.4)DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, AT ABOUT 50 TO 75 FEET AGL, THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS DECAYING, AND HE RECALLED TELLING THE STUDENT SEVERAL TIMES TO PUSH FORWARD ON THE CONTROLS. AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND, THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, AND ATTEMPTED TO PUSH FORWARD ON THE CONTROLS, BUT THE CONTROLS WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE CROSSED OVER A POWER LINE, IMPACTED A PECAN TREE, AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT WING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. DURING WRECKAGE EXAMINATION, ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS RESPONDED AND MOVED THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES THROUGH THEIR RESPECTIVE FULL OPERATING RANGES. A BATTERY COVER WAS FOUND LAYING FREE BESIDE THE ELEVATOR CONTROL PUSH TUBE. THERE WERE SEVERAL RUB MARKS ON THE END OF THE PUSH TUBE AT THE 'THRU' BOLT END. ALSO, THE BATTERY COVER HAD TWO SMALL INDENTATIONS ON IT, AND THE BATTERY APPEARED TO BE NEW. NO ATTACHMENT BOLTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NEEDED TO SECURE THE COVER TO THE BATTERY WERE FOUND. AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED ON THE AIRCRAFT 4 DAYS BEFORE, AND TOTAL TIME SINCE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS 5 HOURS. (-23) THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A GRASS FIELD. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT DURING CLIMB-OUT, HE NOTICED THE AIRSPEED WAS DECAYING. THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND THEN BEGAN TO DESCEND TO THE GROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT HE TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ATTEMPTED TO PUSH FORWARD ON THE CONTROLS, BUT THE CONTROLS WOULD NOT MOVE. THE AIRPLANE CROSSED OVER A POWERLINE, CONTACTED TREES AND CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT WING IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN MODIFIED FROM ITS ORIGINAL CONFIGURATION TO ACCOMMODATE A SECOND PILOT, FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. ## 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 FTW98LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA058), Nov 24, 1997: Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B (N2LU), Lecompte, LA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loose battery cover, due to improper installation by maintenance personnel, that became jammed with an elevator control rod and restricted the movement of the elevator control system, which… ## Other reports on N2LU (3) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20110527015879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110527015879A), May 27, 2011: Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C Corp GULFSTREAM AM G-164B (N2LU), Oak Ridge, LA, Substantial damage. While in turn over woods aircraft loss power, settled into trees. - [Incident 20030711014459I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030711014459I), Jul 11, 2003: Scwzer G164B (N2LU), Rayville, LA, Minor damage. (-23) Pilot was practicing GPS approaches and while over a field at about 600 feet, the engine quit. The pilot made a 160 degree turn back towards the airport… - [Accident 20010828024169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010828024169A), Aug 28, 2001: Scwzer G164B (N2LU), Rayville, LA, No damage. (-23) During aerial application, the pilot completed a pass and began to pull up. A single backfire was heard and the pilot continued his climb to 200-300… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.