# NTSB CEN18LA226: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G 164B, N6672Q, Arrey, NM, June 15, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 15, 2018, 10:10 local (16:10 UTC) - Place: Arrey, NM - Coordinates: 32.828056, -107.299446 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8281&lon=-107.2994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 97482 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA226 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97482/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97482 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA226 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a hillside during an agricultural application flight while facing the sun. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Terrain: mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 329 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md) - [Light condition: bright light](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that he completed four agricultural application loads "just fine." However, after the fourth application, he turned the airplane to conduct a clean-up pass of the field, and subsequently, the airplane impacted the east side of a hill. The pilot stated that he did not remember what happened nor why it happened. Another pilot who had previously sprayed the accident field reported that, when flying east/west in the morning, the east-facing swath was into the sun and toward rapidly rising terrain. At the time of the accident, clear skies and light winds were present, and the sun was in the east. Given this information and that the operator reported that there was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, the pilot likely failed to maintain clearance from rising terrain while facing the sun during the low-level flight. ## Factual narrative On June 15, 2018, about 1010 mountain daylight time, a Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation-Schweizer G-164B airplane, N6672Q, impacted hilly terrain during an aerial application flight near Arrey, New Mexico. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane received substantial wing and fuselage damage during the impact. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by Valley Ag Aerial Services as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the Hatch Municipal Airport, near Hatch, New Mexico, about 0900.The operator reported that the pilot completed 4 aerial application loads "just fine." The pilot turned to do a clean-up pass of the field and crashed into a hillside. The pilot does not remember what happened nor why it happened. The operator reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Another operator in the area had previously sprayed the accident field. He, in part, stated that there is rising terrain that borders the field on the East side. If it were to be sprayed in the morning flying East/West, the East facing swath would be into the sun and rapidly rising terrain. At 1010, the United States Navy Observatory reported the altitude and azimuth of the sun in Hatch, New Mexico, were 49.7° and 91.6° respectively. At 0955, the recorded weather at the Las Cruces International Airport, near Las Cruces, New Mexico, was: Wind 160° at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 31° C; dew point 7° C; altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6672Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6672Q-2021-07-31), registration cancelled 2021-07-31, S/N 194B, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G 164B - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b) (registry code 3952802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 194B - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 14827.6 - Engines: P&W R-985 AN-14B 400 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Valley Ag Aerial Services - Registered owner: Individual - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 3, 2018 - Departed: E05, HATCH, NM - Destination: E05, HATCH, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 3, 2018; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,322 total, 2,940 in this make and model, 109 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KLRU, 38 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180615007959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180615007959A), Jun 15, 2018: Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B, Arrey, NM, Substantial damage. On June 15, 2018, at 09:00 MDT, a Grumman G164B ag cat, N6672Q registered to [privacy data omitted] collided with a hilltop 1.8 miles south east of Arrey, new… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97482. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466512&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record – Communication Summary - J. Marshall (item 2, .PDF, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466513&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Communication%20Summary%20-%20J.%20Marshall-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous Information - USNO Sun and Moon Data For Hatch NM (item 3, .PDF, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466514&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20Information%20-%20USNO%20Sun%20and%20Moon%20Data%20For%20Hatch%20NM-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 4, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466515&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous Information - Airline Cert Info - V4ZG (item 5, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466516&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20Information%20-%20Airline%20Cert%20Info%20-%20V4ZG-Master.PDF 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.