# Accident 19981125044589A: Scwzer G164C, Oroville, CA, November 25, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 25, 1998, 10:40 local time - Place: Oroville, CA - Airport: Oroville Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: NHGG - Location: 40.0110° N, 121.1598° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0110&lon=-121.1598&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6596K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6596K) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164C (registry code 3952803, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SCWZER G164C - Reported engine: PWA PT6A34AG - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 29,357 total, 13,940 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA040) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981125044589A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 25, 1998, AT 1130 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME A GRUMMAN-SCHWEIZER G-164C, N6596K, MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO A DISLODGED RUDDER PEDAL AND GROUND LOOPED AFTER TOUCHDOWN AT THE OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT, OPERATED BY CHUCK JONES FLYING SERVICE, INC. AS AN AGRICULTURAL CROP DUSTING OPERATION UNDER 14 CFR PART 137, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR FROM THE SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER DEPARTURE FROM A PRIVATE DIRT STRIP IN BIGGS, CALIFORNIA, HE ATTEMPTED TO READJUST THE RUDDER PEDALS. ONE OF THE PEDALS BECAME DISLODGED AND HE COULD NOT REPLACE IT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT OROVILLE DUE TO THE LARGER RUNWAY. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE AIRBORNE HE ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE RIGHT RUDDER PEDAL. ONCE HE PULLED THE LOCKING PIN, THE RUDDER PEDAL BECAME DISLODGED AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION. HE DIVERTED TO AN AIRPORT WITH A LONGER RUNWAY TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD TO APPLY CROSS CONTROLSTO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF THE RUDDER PEDAL ON LANDING. ON THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE LOCKING TAIL WHEEL DID NOT LOCK AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SIDESTEP ON THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT GEAR FAILED AND THE RIGHT WING AND PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND. NO FURTHER MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED. THE RUDDER ADJUSTMENT IS A MANUAL MECHANISM, LOCATED DOWN BY THE RUDDER PEDAL THAT CONSISTS OF A PIN, WHICH SECURES THE PEDAL TO THE MECHANISM, AND A PLATE THAT HAS HOLES IN IT. THE PLATE ALSO HAS TWO 90-DEGREE TABS ON EITHER SIDE OF IT TO PREVENT THE PIN FROM BECOMING DISLODGED. THE PILOT WOULD HAVE TO BEND DOWN TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE PIN TO READJUST THE RUDDERS. ONCE THE PIN HAS BEEN PULLED FOR READJUSTMENT, IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUSH THE PIN PAST THE TABS, MAKING THE PROCESS OF MOVING THE PIN BACK INTO POSITION VERY DIFFICULT. ## 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 LAX99LA040](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA040), Nov 25, 1998: Grumman-Schweizer G-164C (N6596K), Oroville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to attempt readjustment of the rudder pedal in-flight. ## Other reports on N6596K (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20210512021199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210512021199A), May 12, 2021: Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164C (N6596K), Butte City, CA, Substantial damage. While maneuvering during a agricultural flight, the aircraft engine stopped running, the pilot made a forced landing in an agricultural field. The aircraft… - [Accident 19920525016309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920525016309A), May 25, 1992: Scwzer G164C (N6596K), Butte City, CA, Substantial damage. Downwind takeoff lifted early avoiding truck. Below power curve. Tail wheel hit fence post. Stalled. Wrong runway. 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.