- Date
- March 8, 2013, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beech Grove, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6902KGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130308002869A
- Case key
- 86424
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 pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 2
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.
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 reported that the airplane was loaded with 114 gallons of fuel and 250 gallons of weed killer, which was a normal load for this type of operation. He indicated that during the takeoff roll, the airplane started to get “light” so he attempted to become airborne. The airplane then settled back down on the runway, bounced, and then veered off the left side of the runway. The left wing impacted terrain and the airplane subsequently bounced into an adjacent open field. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On March 8, 2013, about 1600 central daylight time, a Grumman 164B airplane, N6902K, veered off the left side of the runway during takeoff and impacted terrain at a private airstrip in Beech Grove, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. During the attempted takeoff, the left wing impacted the ground and was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to HDS, Inc. and operated by Kin-CO Ag Aviation, Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. In a statement provided by the pilot, the airplane was loaded with 114 gallons of fuel and 250 gallons of weed killer, which was a normal load for this type of operation. He checked his seat belt and shoulder harness and centered the airplane on the runway. During the takeoff roll, the pilot described the airplane as getting “light” so he attempted to become airborne. The airplane then settled back down on the runway, bounced off of the right main landing gear, and then veered off the left side of the runway. The left wing impacted terrain and the airplane subsequently bounced into the open field. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6902K
- Reported as
- Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 517B
- Airframe hours
- 14,480
- Engine
- Honeywell TPE 331-6-252, 665 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Kin-CO Ag Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Hds Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2011 · 1,910 hours before
- Departed
- Beech Grove, AR
- Destination
- Beech Grove, AR
- Airport
- Private
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 747 total · 15 in this make and model · 659 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- JBR, 20 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 740 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.
Other investigations on N6902K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.