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20230604005819A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B · Colusa, CA · June 4, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 4, 2023 · 09:30 local
Place
Colusa, CA
Phase of flight
Maneuver
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
NHUG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N6750K
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR23LA212
Reported as
Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
28,000 total8,000 in this make and model325 in the last 90 days
N6750KRegistration cancelled Aug 8, 2023 · Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164BS/N 449-BAirframe modelGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B

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.

In an email from the pilot, he stated "I have flown under that set of wires probably hundreds of times since I considered it safer than trying to go over it with a loaded aircraft. That morning I had 13 loads 5.5 miles from airport,( 5MILES from wire). I was on my eighth load that Sunday morning and everything was very routine." Pilot also mentioned that he was upset about an argument he had with privacy data omitted, he went on to say "basically I was in such thought that I completely don’t remember flying after takeoff. After the accident I had no idea that I had hit the wire, I thought maybe a mid air or something, only after getting out of wreckage and looking back did I realize I had hit the wire." Pilot also mentioned that fatigue might have been a factor. Pictures from the wreckage revealed the upper wingtip was still hanging from the wire. The aircraft came to rest in a rice field near the powerline. Signatures from the propeller after impact indicate that the engine was operating normally.

As the FAA filed it

IN AN EMAIL FROM THE PILOT, HE STATED "I HAVE FLOWN UNDER THAT SET OF WIRES PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF TIMES SINCE I CONSIDERED IT SAFER THAN TRYING TO GO OVER IT WITH A LOADED AIRCRAFT. THAT MORNING I HAD 13 LOADS 5.5 MILES FROM AIRPORT,( 5MILES FROM WIRE). I WAS ON MY EIGHTH LOAD THAT SUNDAY MORNING AND EVERYTHING WAS VERY ROUTINE." PILOT ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE WAS UPSET ABOUT AN ARGUMENT HE HAD WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, HE WENT ON TO SAY "BASICALLY I WAS IN SUCH THOUGHT THAT I COMPLETELY DON’T REMEMBER FLYING AFTER TAKEOFF. AFTER THE ACCIDENT I HAD NO IDEA THAT I HAD HIT THE WIRE, I THOUGHT MAYBE A MID AIR OR SOMETHING, ONLY AFTER GETTING OUT OF WRECKAGE AND LOOKING BACK DID I REALIZE I HAD HIT THE WIRE." PILOT ALSO MENTIONED THAT FATIGUE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. PICTURES FROM THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE UPPER WINGTIP WAS STILL HANGING FROM THE WIRE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A RICE FIELD NEAR THE POWERLINE. SIGNATURES FROM THE PROPELLER AFTER IMPACT INDICATE THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY.

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 WPR23LA212Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportColusa, CAThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a low-level aerial application flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s fatigue.Jun 4, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6750K · 2

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

Accident 19810812049199ALow Level Operations · Tracy, CAAircraft collided with wires and crashed during spraying operation.Aug 12, 1981 · DestroyedIncident 19790813030699IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Stockton, CAWing tip struck exhaust stack of truck on landing.Aug 13, 1979 · Minor damage