CEN11CA071

NTSB accident investigation · Grumman G-164 · Michigan, ND · October 11, 2010

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 11, 2010, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Michigan, ND
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N554YGrumman G-164
Defining event
Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 16, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20101011052009A
Case key
77811

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff roll following a noticeable loss of engine power due to low engine compression and a magneto failure.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Electrical power systemAircraft › Aircraft systems · FailureGrumman G-164: 1 caseAll aircraft: 48 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The pilot stated that, during an attempted takeoff of an aerial application flight, the engine did not appear to be producing as much power as he anticipated. When the airplane became airborne, about 300 feet before the departure end of the runway, it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot lowered the nose and the airplane impacted the runway's overrun area and nosed over; it came to rest inverted about 300 feet past the departure end of the runway. A postaccident examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed that they were unable to obtain compression in two engine cylinders. They additionally found that a magneto was inoperative; no other anomalies were found.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that during the attempted takeoff of an aerial application flight, the engine power seemed low. He continued the takeoff and then realized that the airplane would not remain airborne so he pulled the dump handle releasing about 40 gallons of the 150 gallon load. When the airplane became airborne, about 300 feet before the departure end of the runway, it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot lowered the nose and the airplane impacted the runway's overrun area and nosing over. It came to rest inverted about 300 feet past the departure end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage, which included structural damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot was uninjured. Examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration revealed two cylinders that were unable to produce compression and an inoperative magneto. No other anomalies were found.

Aircraft

Registration
N554Y
Reported as
Grumman G-164
Category
Airplane
Serial number
225
Engine
Pratt & Whitney R-985 Series, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Operator
Orwick Spraying Service
Registered owner
Pro Air Service Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Departed
PVT · Michigan, ND
Destination
PVT · Michigan, ND
Airport
PVT · Private, runway 09

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
45
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
August 1, 2008
Seat
Single
Flight hours
11,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 10,950 as pilot in command · 450 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 6 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 24, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 565 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.