# Accident 20170507004169A: Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, Madera, CA, May 7, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 7, 2017, 11:30 local time
- Place: Madera, CA
- Airport: Madera Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: JF5G
- Location: 36.9864° N, 120.1125° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9864&lon=-120.1125&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8712H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8712H-2018-09-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A (registry code 3952801, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G-164A
- Reported engine: P&W R-1340 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 30,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR17LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA100) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170507004169A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD MADE APROXIMATELY 3 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHTS IN THIS AIRCRAFT FROM THE SAME RUNWAY JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. PILOT STATED THAT AS HE BEGAN HIS DOWNWIND TAKEOFF WITH A 7KT, GUSTING TO 14 KT TAILWIND, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, AND HIS APPLICATION OF REQUIRED CORRECTIVE FULL RIGHT BRAKE AND RUDDER WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO STOP THE LEFT YAW AND RESULTED IN HIS DEPARTURE FROM THE DRY PAVED RUNWAY SURFACE, WITH SEVERE SIDE LOADING OF THE LANDING GEAR. HE REMAINED AT FULL POWER AS HE ATTEMPTED TO GET AIRBORNE AND STRAIGHTEN IT OUT. HOWEVER, THE RIGHT GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT, RESULTING IN THE PROPELLER AND RIGHT WING STRIKING THE GROUND, AND SEPARATION OF THE ENGINE / PROP ASSEMBLY AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT. DUE TO THE SEVERED FUEL LINES AND ELECTRICAL CABLES FROM THE ENGINE SEPARATION, A POST CRASH FIRE ERUPTED IMMEDIATELY. THE PILOT EXITED THE COCKPIT WITHOUT INJURY AND CALLED 911 TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT AND RESULTING FIRE, WHICH WAS RAPIDLY SPREADING IN THE DRY GRASS BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARTIALLY CONSUMED IN THE POST ACCIDENT FIRE.

## 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 WPR17LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA100), May 7, 2017: Grumman G164 (N8712H), Madera, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a runway excursion and separation of the right landing gear.

## Other reports on N8712H (1)

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

- [Accident 19780619013519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780619013519A), Jun 19, 1978: Gulstm G164A (N8712H), Terreton, ID, Substantial damage. Alfalfa.

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.

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