# NTSB CHI03LA176: Allied Ag Cat Productions G-164B, N8375K, Dyess, AR, June 19, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 19, 2003, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Dyess, AR - Coordinates: 35.983333, -90.349998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9833&lon=-90.3500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57294 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA176 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57294/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=57294 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA176 ## Probable cause The loose fittings on the bleed air system which resulted in a loss of engine power, and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. Factors to the accident were the watery and the muddy conditions and the inadequate fastening of the bleed air system components by maintenance personnel. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - aerial application - maintenance - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (contributing factor) - bleed air system,fittings - loose part/bolt/nut/clamp/etc (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area (cause) - terrain condition - water (contributing factor) - terrain condition - muddy (contributing factor) - Nose over, emergency landing ## Analysis The airplane received substantial damage when it flipped over in a rice field filled with water and mud following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing. The pilot reported flying at an altitude of approximately 500 feet above ground level when he noticed a loss in engine power. The pilot attempted to land on a private road but was unable to stop on the road. An examination of the engine revealed that the fuel control unit's PY fitting at the fuel control unit was not tight. A black rubber like substance was found adhering to the bleed-off valve seat to gas generator-mating surface and appeared to be left by the O-ring. The O-ring packing material was found in the P3 air passageway, which allowed the valve to open to an undetermined extent, from the gas generator case to the bleed-off valve part number 3100829-03, serial number: A-3843. Two attach screws part number MS9923-31, were observed to be loose. ## Factual narrative On June 19, 2003, about 1145 central daylight time, an Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc. G-164B, N8375K, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power near Dyess, Arkansas. The aerial application flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight departed from Marked Tree Municipal Airport, near Marked Tree, Arkansas, at 1120, and was maneuvering to view a field when the flight sustained the loss of engine power. The pilot stated: Finished field and flew 2 miles northeast to look at next field. Looked at field - flew up to apprx 500 ft [altitude] to head back towards Marked Tree. Leveled off at 500 ft - looked back to left to make sure it was clear to turn, looked back to check gauges, felt like someone reached over [and] pulled power off airplane. Looked at temperature guage - guage showed 700 [degrees]. But felt loss of power. Knew airplane was loosing power and speed. Set up for emergency landing procedures. Seen turn road - thought I could land in turn road - prop quit turning - landed on road - run out of road (headed east) - jumped ditch to miss dug up culbert - landed in rice field (watered and gumbo mud.) Airplane flipped over on back. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector arranged a tear down inspection of the engine at a certified repair station. Excerpts from the repair station's report stated: 2.3 The technician disassembling the "PY" line from the fuel control unit noted that the line fitting at the fuel control unit was not tight, even though it was safetied. It was not necessary to use a wrench to detach the line from the fuel control unit. The "P3" fitting installed in the fuel control unit on the side opposite the PY line could easily be moved by hand. Both fittings were safety wired when the engine was received. ... 2.6 The compressor bleed off valve, part number 3100829-03, serial number: A-3843 was removed and two of the part number MS9923-31 attach screws were observed to be loose (left side, pilot view). Marginal torque was required to remove the two right side screws. The valve was lifted from the gas generator case and what appeared to be a piece of the O-ring packing required for installation between the bleed off valve and the gas generator case was found resting in the threaded hole vacated by the left rear attach screw (photo page 7 of 8). A patch of black colored, flexible material was found lightly adhering to the area adjacent to the recess in the flange of the bleed off valve normally accommodating the sealing O-ring packing (photo page 8 of 8). Portions of the bleed off valve / gas generator mating surface exhibits black colored deposits in an outward radiating pattern. The bleed off valve, the patch of black, flexible material and the approximately 1/8 inch section of O-ring packing was retained for further evaluation. 2.7 The remainder of the engine was disassembled for inspection and no other potential cause for the reported loss of power were discovered. ... The repair station's engine investigation report is contained in the public docket of this accident report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8375K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8375K), registered now, S/N 668B (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Allied Ag Cat Productions, Inc 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) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 668B - Airframe hours: 181 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG 750 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Bowman, Winston - Registered owner: Henderson Agricultural Service - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: 6M8, MARKED TREE, AR - Destination: 6M8 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 8, 2002; seat: center; flight hours: 5,242 total, 181 in this make and model, 5,150 as pilot in command, 181 in the last 90 days, 68 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: HKA, 30 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 20030619014379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030619014379A), Jun 19, 2003: Scwzer G164B, Dyess, AR, Substantial damage. (-23) N8375K, a Grumman G-165B, was substantially damaged when the aircraft nosed over during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=57294. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 397 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466566&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Arranged Examination of the Accident Engine (item 2, .PDF, 604 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466567&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Arranged%20Examination%20of%20the%20Accident%20Engine-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.