- Date
- October 4, 2006, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Somerville, TN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N493YGrumman G-164
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Memphis FSDO-25
- FAA report
- 20061004020089A
- Case key
- 64661
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was conducting an aerial application flight. He stated that about half way through the third turn-around maneuver a gradual loss of power occurred. He added full throttle but did not notice the difference in the engine sound or the power output. He made a forced landing into a small field of trees and the airplane collided with the ground. The pilot exited the airplane, and an immediate post-crash fire consumed the airplane. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that all components for flight were located at the crash site. An examination of the engine revealed that all of its components were heavily fire damaged, and an engine examination could not be facilitated due to the fire damage. Due to the engine fire damage the cause of the loss of power could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On October 4, 2006, at 1815 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164, N493Y, registered to and operated by Fayette Flying Service LLC, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulation Part 137 aerial application flight, loss full engine power while maneuvering in the vicinity of Somerville, Tennessee. The airplane collided with a tree while making a force landing, and was substantially damaged by post-crash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated from the Fayette County Airport, Somerville, Tennessee, at 1750.
The pilot reported that he was conducting an aerial application flight. He stated that about half way through the third turn-around maneuver a gradual loss of power occurred. He added full throttle but did not notice the difference in the engine sound or the power output. He made a forced landing into a small field of trees and the airplane collided with the ground.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that all components for flight were located at the crash site. An examination of the engine revealed that all of its components were heavily fire damaged, and an engine examination could not be facilitated due to the fire damage. A review of the engine logbook pages revealed that the engine was overhauled on July 27, 2006 at an engine total time of 524.7 hours. After the engine was reinstalled it was run for 1-hour. The owner of the airplane did not submit the airplane logbooks or records for review to the NTSB.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N493Y
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 137
- Airframe hours
- 10,081
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Fayette Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2006 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- FYE · Somerville, TN
- Destination
- Somerville, TN
- Airport
- FYE · Fayette County
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 92 in this make and model · 970 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KMEM, 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N493Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.