- Date
- August 6, 2005, 20:00 local (Aug 7, 2005, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- New Boston, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9041MGrumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Springfield FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050806023869A
- Case key
- 62199
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 loss of engine power due to a cylinder failure and the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The agricultural spray airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain after a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot reported that he had finished spraying his last field for the day and was heading back to the airport when the engine lost power and oil pressure. Smoke began pouring into the cockpit. He reported that he was over a wooded area, but he managed to make a forced landing in a cornfield. The airplane impacted the terrain and skidded up on its nose. The inspection of the airplane revealed that one of the engine cylinders had failed. Aircraft records indicated that the 600 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-2 engine had accumulated 1,026 hours since the last overhaul. The engine had accumulated 157 hours since the last annual inspection.
Factual narrative
On August 6, at 2005 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N9041M, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain near New Boston, Illinois, after a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot received minor injuries. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight departed Aledo, Illinois, at 1900 on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he had finished spraying his last field for the day and was heading back to the airport when he lost power and oil pressure. He reported that smoke was pouring into the cockpit. He reported that he was over a wooded area, but he managed to make a forced landing in a cornfield. The airplane impacted the terrain and skidded up on its nose.
A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. He reported that one of the engine cylinders had failed and a hole was visible on the side of the cylinder.
Aircraft records indicated that the 600 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-2 engine had accumulated 1,026 hours since the last overhaul. The engine had accumulated 157 hours since the last annual inspection conducted on January 20, 2005.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9041M
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1703
- Airframe hours
- 10,409
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney 1340 AN-2, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Houston Ag Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2005 · 157 hours before
- Departed
- C00 · Aledo, IL
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2004
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 11,800 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 11,800 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- BRL, 35 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.