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20030531010929A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Scwzer G164B · Superior, NE · May 31, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 31, 2003 · 12:30 local
Place
Superior, NE
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
Y6BG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N48597
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI03LA144
Reported as
Scwzer G164B
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
11,900 total1 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

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) On may 31, 2003 at approximately 17:30 CDT a Grumman 164B, N48597 operated by blackstone aerial spraying LLC departed the Superior municipal airport for a FAR 137 aerial application in riverton, Nebraska. The aircraft departed runway 14 turning east into the wind. The pilot then turned north and then to the west. Following the turn to the west, witnesses on the ground stated the tail of the aircraft dropped causing the aircraft to fly in a nose high attitude. The aircraft maintained this nose high attitude for approximately one half mile. The aircraft was losing air speed and altitude when it struck the terrain tail wheel first. The main landing gear spread on impact allowing the propeller of the spray system pump to contact the ground. The aircraft rolled up onto the propeller causing the aircraft to become inverted approximately 75 feet from the initial point of contact facing the opposite direction that the aircraft entered the field. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the pilot received severe head injuries. The operational issues regarding this accident are still under investigation.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MAY 31, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 17:30 CDT A GRUMMAN 164B, N48597 OPERATED BY BLACKSTONE AERIAL SPRAYING LLC DEPARTED THE SUPERIOR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT FOR A FAR 137 AERIAL APPLICATION IN RIVERTON, NEBRASKA. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 14 TURNING EAST INTO THE WIND. THE PILOT THEN TURNED NORTH AND THEN TO THE WEST. FOLLOWING THE TURN TO THE WEST, WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLY IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT MAINTAINED THIS NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING AIR SPEED AND ALTITUDE WHEN IT STRUCK THE TERRAIN TAIL WHEEL FIRST. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SPREAD ON IMPACT ALLOWING THE PROPELLER OF THE SPRAY SYSTEM PUMP TO CONTACT THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED UP ONTO THE PROPELLER CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PILOT RECEIVED SEVERE HEAD INJURIES. THE OPERATIONAL ISSUES REGARDING THIS ACCIDENT ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

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 CHI03LA144Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSuperior, NEThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, and the delayed remedial action by the pilot, resulting in a stall. Factors to the accident included the aircraft’s low altitude and the pilot's lack of experience in the make/model of aircraft.May 31, 2003 · Substantial damage