20050731024839A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Scwzer G-164A · Trufant, MI · July 31, 2005

Date: July 31, 2005 · 08:00 local
Place: Trufant, MI
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8951H
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI05CA207
Reported as: Scwzer G164A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,000 total1,100 in this make and model280 in the last 90 days

N8951HRegistration cancelled May 17, 2013 · Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164AS/N 1589 · Built 1975 Airframe modelGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 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) While spraying field pilot was making last runs and to avoid spraying over a house, elected to spray in an easterly direction, into the morning rising sun. Water spraying equipment in field was uniform height above the ground (approx. 8 feet) except for the last spray nozzle which was elevated approx. 6 feet above the rest of the water spraying equipment. Aircraft propeller and main landing gear hit top of spray nozzle and forced an emergency landing in field. Pilot counseled and no further action planned.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE SPRAYING FIELD PILOT WAS MAKING LAST RUNS AND TO AVOID SPRAYING OVER A HOUSE, ELECTED TO SPRAY IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION, INTO THE MORNING RISING SUN. WATER SPRAYING EQUIPMENT IN FIELD WAS UNIFORM HEIGHT ABOVE THE GROUND (APPROX. 8 FEET) EXCEPT FOR THE LAST SPRAY NOZZLE WHICH WAS ELEVATED APPROX. 6 FEET ABOVE THE REST OF THE WATER SPRAYING EQUIPMENT. AIRCRAFT PROPELLER AND MAIN LANDING GEAR HIT TOP OF SPRAY NOZZLE AND FORCED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN FIELD. PILOT COUNSELED AND NO FURTHER ACTION PLANNED.

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 CHI05CA207Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportTrufant, MIThe pilot's inadequate visual lookout and not maintaining clearance from the watering pivot during the aerial application maneuver and the unsuitable terrain he encountered during the emergency landing. A factor was the sunglare encountered.Jul 31, 2005 · Substantial damage