19980523010739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer G-164 · Huntington, UT · May 23, 1998

Date: May 23, 1998 · 10:40 local
Place: Huntington, UT
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N744Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW98LA236
Reported as: Scwzer G164
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R985*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,350 total45 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N744YRegistration cancelled Jan 12, 2001 · Grumman G-164S/N 321 Airframe modelGrumman G-164

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Too heavy hot day small field. On second pass was fast. Second try mushed into rising terrain on pullup. (.4)the pilot loaded the aircraft with 200 lbs. Of insecticide and 60 gals. Of fuel prior to departure. His first pass of spraying the field was successful, but he did not maintain as fast an airspeed on his second pass. As he was rolling out from his second pass, he pulled up over a 50 foot bluff and the aircraft 'mushed in or sank.' There were ridges on both sides, preventing the aircraft from turning. He attempted to fly up the ridge, but the aircraft stalled, impacting the ridge and slid approximately 100 feet before coming to a stop. (-23)pilot stated he was spraying a alfalfa and stalled the airplane while he was trying to maneuver out of the alfalfa field that was surrounded by mesas. The pilot tried to dump his load, but was unable to reach the dump handle because of the restraints of his shoulder harness.

As the FAA filed it

TOO HEAVY HOT DAY SMALL FIELD. ON SECOND PASS WAS FAST. SECOND TRY MUSHED INTO RISING TERRAIN ON PULLUP. (.4)THE PILOT LOADED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 200 LBS. OF INSECTICIDE AND 60 GALS. OF FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HIS FIRST PASS OF SPRAYING THE FIELD WAS SUCCESSFUL, BUT HE DID NOT MAINTAIN AS FAST AN AIRSPEED ON HIS SECOND PASS. AS HE WAS ROLLING OUT FROM HIS SECOND PASS, HE PULLED UP OVER A 50 FOOT BLUFF AND THE AIRCRAFT 'MUSHED IN OR SANK.' THERE WERE RIDGES ON BOTH SIDES, PREVENTING THE AIRCRAFT FROM TURNING. HE ATTEMPTED TO FLY UP THE RIDGE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, IMPACTING THE RIDGE AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. (-23)PILOT STATED HE WAS SPRAYING A ALFALFA AND STALLED THE AIRPLANE WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO MANEUVER OUT OF THE ALFALFA FIELD THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY MESAS. THE PILOT TRIED TO DUMP HIS LOAD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE DUMP HANDLE BECAUSE OF THE RESTRAINTS OF HIS SHOULDER HARNESS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA236Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHuntington, UTThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed.May 23, 1998 · Substantial damage