# NTSB ATL94GA111: Grumman G-164A, N9868, Savannah, GA, June 2, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report - Date: June 2, 1994, 17:16 local (21:16 UTC) - Place: Savannah, GA - Location: 32.1276° N, 81.2021° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at SAVANNAH/HILTON HEAD INTL (SAV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1276&lon=-81.2021&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 25, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3307 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL94GA111 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3307/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94GA111 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE OPERATORS FAILURE TO PROVIDE A FORMAL EMERGENCY DUMP PROCEDURE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command - lack of recent experience, pilot in command - insufficient standards/requirements, company/operator mgmt - Tail gear collapsed, landing - landing gear,tailwheel assembly - overload - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing ## Analysis DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT REPORTED A VIBRATION IN THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY. HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF PROCEDURE BUT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BEFORE DISPENSING OR DUMPING THE 1500 POUNDS OF CHEMICALS. AT TOUCHDOWN THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY COLLAPSED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MATERIAL FAILURE OR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT HAD NOT MADE A LANDING WITH THE AIRPLANE IN A HEAVY OR LOADED CONFIGURATION WITHIN THE LAST TWENTY FOUR MONTHS. THE OPERATOR HAD NO FORMAL EMERGENCY DUMP POLICY TO PREVENT LANDING WITH CHEMICALS ONBOARD DURING AN EMERGENCY. ## Factual narrative On June 2, 1994, at 1716 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N9868, landed hard and ground looped on runway 09 at the savannah International Airport, Savannah, Georgia. The public use flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. The aerial application flight departed Savannah at 1710 hours. According to the pilot, during the previous takeoff, he felt a vibration in the tailwheel assembly. He elected to continue the takeoff procedure, but returned to the airport for a precautionary landing. Due to changing weather conditions at the airport, the pilot selected runway 09 for the landing (see attach pilot/operator aircraft accident report). During the landing attempt, the tailwheel broke off and was located several hundred feet west of where the airplane came to rest. Examination of the aircraft failed to disclose a mechanical problem with the airplane. The examination of the tailwheel assembly also failed to reveal a mechanical problem (see attached FAA Inspector's Statement). According to flight operation personnel from the county commission, they had no formal emergency dump procedure for onboard chemicals. The pilot elected to land with 1500 pounds of chemicals onboard. According to the same flight operation person, most spray missions usually ended with the complete dispensing of all chemicals. The pilot estimated that he had not landed with a heavy load within the last two years. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9868](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9868-2013-04-29), registration cancelled 2013-04-29, S/N 1296, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G-164A - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (registry code 3952801) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1296 - Airframe hours: 3446 - Engines: P&W R-1340 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft, Part 91 - Registered owner: Chatham County Commissioners - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, January 19, 1994, 21 hours before - Airport: SAV, Savannah International, runway 9, 9,351 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,309 total, 402 in this make and model, 1,465 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 11 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: SAV ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940602013469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940602013469A), Jun 2, 1994: Scwzer G164A, Savannah, GA, Substantial damage. Beleived tailwheel defect. Returned made hard downwind full load landing. Broke off tailwheel. No defects found. ## Other investigations on N9868 (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 MIA76DLD85](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA76DLD85), Sep 3, 1976: Grumman G-164A (N9868), Bushnell, FL, substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.