20020724027639A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Scwzer G-164A · Centralcity, NE · July 24, 2002

Date: July 24, 2002 · 08:20 local
Place: Centralcity, NE
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: LRGG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5296
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI02LA212
Reported as: Scwzer G164A

N5296Registration cancelled Jan 8, 2003 · Grumman G-164AS/N 580 · Built 1969 Airframe modelGrumman G-164A Engine modelJacobs R755A seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Pilot stated that he had finished spraying a corn field and was climbing to an altitude for the flight back to the airport. He was flying in calm air conditions below the clouds at 250 feet, during climb he encountered severe turbulence, a strong downdraft, and sprinkles of rain. He applied full power but could not stop his descent. The downdraft pushed the airplane down into 50 foot cottonwood trees forming a shelter belt. One of the bigger limbs hit the right wing and swung him around, rupturing the fuel tank. The aircraft landed in the adjacent field on its nose and burst into flames. He was able to crawl out of the airplane.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD FINISHED SPRAYING A CORN FIELD AND WAS CLIMBING TO AN ALTITUDE FOR THE FLIGHT BACK TO THE AIRPORT. HE WAS FLYING IN CALM AIR CONDITIONS BELOW THE CLOUDS AT 250 FEET, DURING CLIMB HE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE, A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, AND SPRINKLES OF RAIN. HE APPLIED FULL POWER BUT COULD NOT STOP HIS DESCENT. THE DOWNDRAFT PUSHED THE AIRPLANE DOWN INTO 50 FOOT COTTONWOOD TREES FORMING A SHELTER BELT. ONE OF THE BIGGER LIMBS HIT THE RIGHT WING AND SWUNG HIM AROUND, RUPTURING THE FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE ADJACENT FIELD ON ITS NOSE AND BURST INTO FLAMES. HE WAS ABLE TO CRAWL OUT OF THE AIRPLANE.

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 CHI02LA212Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCentral City, NEThe pilot was not able to maintain clearance with the trees when the airplane encountered a downdraft at a low altitude. An additional cause was the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the approaching weather conditions. Factors associated with the accident were…Jul 25, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5296 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19740505011439AFinal Approach · Gueydan, LAMay 5, 1974 · Substantial damage