# Accident 19980803019419A: Scwzer G164A, Nelson, CA, August 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 3, 1998, 10:30 local time
- Place: Nelson, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: NHWG
- Location: 39.5521° N, 121.7655° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Nelson, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5521&lon=-121.7655&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83888 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SCWZER G164A
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A20
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,062 total, 1,700 in this make and model, 600 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980803019419A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CRASHED DURING AERIAL APPLICATION. (.4) ON AUGUST 3, 1998, AT 1030 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A GRUMMAN G-164A, N8388, COLLIDED WITH A RICE PADDY WHILE APPLYING CHEMICALS NEAR NELSON, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY WILLIAMS AG SERVICE OF BIGGS, CALIFORNIA, AND WAS ON A LOCAL AREA AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 137 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE GROUND COLLISION SEQUENCE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE BIGGS AIRPORT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AT 1000. IN THE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE SAFETY BOARD, HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD TO FLY OVER WIRES TO ENTER THE FIELD. ON HIS FIRST PASS OVER THE RICE FIELD, HE ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO GET TOO LOW AND WAS UNABLE TO PULL OUT. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEELS TOUCHED THE WATER AND CROPS, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE RICE FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.                                                                                                                                       (-23) PILOT WAS PERFORMING AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS OVER A RICE FIELD, LOOKED INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO CHECK THE INSTRUMENTS, THEN STARTED THE PULLUP LATE. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT WAS DEMOLISHED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED A BROKEN ARM.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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