20130717013789A

ON 7/17/2013 N8719H A GRUMAN 164A CRASHED AT 1630 LOCAL NEAR ELMIRA, MI. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WHILE CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL SPRAYING FOR SLF AIR, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 9SBG. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATED FROM LAKES OF THE NORTH AIRPORT (4Y4) PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE SPRAYING OPERATION. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED APPROXIMATELY 700FT OF WOODED LAND PRIOR TO IMPACTING TWO TREES AND COMING TO REST 110FT LATER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE AND DESTROYED. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF FROM THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO EMERGENCY VEHICLE RESPONSE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CARRYING AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDE AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH AND EVIDENCE OF THIS COULD BE SEEN ON A WIDE AREA OF FOLIAGE NEAR THE CRASH SITE.

ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 110FT AFTER FIRST IMPACTING THE TREES WHICH INDICATES THAT IS DESCENDED AT A STEEP ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT DEBRIS PATH WAS MINIMAL SHOWING NO INDICATION OF INFLIGHT BREAKUP. THE PROPELLER SHOWED SOME TWISTING AND LEADING EDGE DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH THE ENGINE PRODUCING SOME POWER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO REMAINING FUEL ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT AS FIRE WOULD HAVE CONSUMED ANY THAT REMAINED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDNET.

THERE WERE NO KNOWN EYEWITNESSES TO THE CRASH AND THE PILOT REPORTS ONLY HAVING MEMORY OF FLIGHT PRIOR TO SPRAYING THE FINAL FIELD AND AGAIN AS HE WAS LOADED INTO THE AMBULANCE. NO ABNORMAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS WERE NOTED DURING PREVIOUS FLIGHTS AND THE PILOT SAYS THAT HE DOES NOT REMEMBER ANY OF THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO OR DURING THE ACCIDENT.

POST-ACCIDENT INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED WITH THE PILOT INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED TO APPROXIMATE LOADS (1/2 TO ¾ FULL) PRIOR TO EACH FLIGHT FROM A METAL TANK IN THE BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE NOT SUMPED AFTER EACH FUELING AND PRIOR TO EACH FLIGHT.