- Date
- April 20, 1994, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ozark, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N48717Grumman G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940420010979A
- Case key
- 3374
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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the soft terrain.
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
During an aerial application swath run the pilot experienced a complete loss of engine power. He selected an adjacent field and attempted a forced landing; during the landing the airplane nosed over. The examination of the airframe at the accident site and the subsequent engine teardown inspection failed to disclose a mechanical problem with the engine.
Factual narrative
On April 20, 1994, at 1730 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B, N48717, collided with the ground while attempting a forced landing near Ozark, Alabama. The aerial application flight operated under 14 CFR Part 137, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial airframe damage; the pilot was not injured. The flight departed a pasture in Ozark at 1710 hours.
According to the pilot, he was on a spraying swath run when he heard the engine surge twice, followed by a complete loss of engine power. The pilot selected a nearby field and attempted a forced landing; the airplane touched down on the soft ground and nosed over.
Examination of the airplane at the accident site, and the engine during a subsequent engine teardown examination, failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48717
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 120B
- Airframe hours
- 3,979
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-1, 665 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Payne Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 13, 1994
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 1,100 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DHN, 21 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 N48717 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.