# NTSB CEN20CA341: Grumman G164, N997QC, Rice, MN, August 16, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 16, 2020, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Rice, MN - Coordinates: 45.785278, -94.200836 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7853&lon=-94.2008&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 101804 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA341 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101804/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101804 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA341 ## Probable cause The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during the landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3979904), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=3979904), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=3979904), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=3979904), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=3979904), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was en route to spray a field when he received a call over the company radio to return to the airport. He returned for landing with the full application load. The airstrip consisted of gravel and asphalt; grass areas bordered the runway. The main wheels touched down near the runway threshold; the initial portion of the runway was gravel. The tail wheel settled onto the runway as the airspeed dissipated, and the pilot brought the propeller into reverse. However, the tailwheel encountered a “bump” which started some pitch oscillations; this might have occurred at the transition from gravel to asphalt. The pilot reported no elevator or rudder authority, possibly due to the reduced airflow over the empennage resulting from the reverse thrust. He noted that a go-around was not an option at that point. The airplane yawed to the right and departed the paved area, proceeded into the grass area, and finally into the soft ground adjacent to the runway causing the airplane to nose over. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N997QC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N997QC), registered now, S/N 568B (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G164 (B) - Registry model: [Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C GULFSTREAM AM G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/gulfstream-schweizer-a-c-gulfstream-am-g-164b) (registry code 3979904) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 568B - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 9938 - Engines: Honeywell TPE-331-1-101 665 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, December 17, 2019 - Departed: PVT, Rice, MN - Destination: PVT, Rice, MN - Airport: PVT, Private, runway 18, 2,200 × 70 ft, gravel - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 12, 2020; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 8,765 total, 495 in this make and model, 8,765 as pilot in command, 465 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: LXL, 12 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 20200816012759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200816012759A), Aug 16, 2020: Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C Corp GULFSTREAM AM G-164B, Rice, MN, Substantial damage. 2020-08-16, Approximately 0800L, N997QC an agcat turbine aircraft with a full liquid chemical hopper, 360 gallons, was manned by the PIC to go spray herbicide… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101804. 39.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 7 pages, 38.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10326708&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot-Operator%20Accident%20Report_redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 936 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10301842&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20--%20CEN20CA341-Rel.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.