- Date
- July 25, 1993, 11:11 local (16:11 UTC)
- Place
- Ashford, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8373Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930725025489A
- Case key
- 3245
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 failure of the engine supercharger assembly, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the trees at the forced landing site.
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 during an aerial application maneuver, the engine lost power and quit. Oil spray was observed on the windshield shortly following the loss of power. He attempted a forced landing, and the aircraft collided with a peach tree, resulting in structural damage to the airframe. The operator reported that the supercharger assembly failed, resulting in the loss of power.
Factual narrative
On July 25, 1993, at about 1111 central daylight time, a Grumman G164A, N8373, was substantially damaged following a reported loss of engine power near Ashford, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. The aircraft was operated under 14 CFR Part 137 by Howell Cropdusters, Inc., of Bainbridge, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local, aerial application flight. The flight originated in Bainbridge at about 1200 eastern daylight time.
The pilot reported that he was performing an aerial application maneuver when the engine quit. He observed oil spray on the windscreen after the engine lost power. While attempting a forced landing, the aircraft collided with a peach tree and was structurally damaged.
The operator reported that the engine quit due to a failure of the supercharger assembly. The operator did not comply with 49 CFR Part 830, requiring the completion of NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (Pilot/Operator Report).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8373
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 871
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Howell Cropdusters, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Howell Cropdusters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 410 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DHN, 15 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.