# NTSB CHI07LA221: Grumman G-164A, N9828, Moline, IL, July 22, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 22, 2007, 10:25 local (15:25 UTC) - Place: Moline, IL - Coordinates: 41.4483333333333, -90.5083333333333 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4483&lon=-90.5083&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-DuPage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 66867 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI07LA221 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66867/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07LA221 ## Probable cause Fatigue failure of the engine cylinder during cruise flight resulting in a loss of engine power. Additional causes were the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and the resulting inadvertent stall during the forced landing. A contributing factor was the airplane's low altitude at the time of the loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - engine assembly,cylinder - failure (cause) - engine assembly,cylinder - fatigue (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - low, pilot in command (contributing factor) - terrain condition - crop ## Analysis The pilot stated that 15 minutes into the flight the airplane began to lose airspeed. The flight was 300 to 500 feet above ground level en route to the assigned spray field at the time. He noted that although he was at full throttle, the airplane continued to lose airspeed. He subsequently observed oil on the right side of the engine cowling. The pilot recalled banking left to avoid an interstate highway. He commented that the airplane "quit flying" just prior to the landing. The airplane came to rest upright in a corn field. A post impact fire consumed approximately one-half of the aircraft. A post accident inspection revealed that the number 3 engine cylinder head had separated into two sections. Examination of the fracture faces revealed features consistent with a fatigue failure. The failure initiated at the root of the cylinder head thread engaged with the uppermost barrel thread. Engine maintenance records indicated that the engine had accumulated approximately 7,495 hours total time, with about 615 hours since overhaul. ## Factual narrative On July 22, 2007, about 1025 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A airplane, N9828, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Moline, Illinois. The agricultural application flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 137 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The local flight had departed Davenport Municipal Airport (DVN), Davenport, Iowa, approximately 1010. The pilot stated that 15 minutes into the flight the airplane began to lose airspeed. The flight was 300 to 500 feet above ground level en route to the assigned spray field at the time. He noted that although he was at full throttle, the airplane continued to lose airspeed. He subsequently observed oil on the right side of the engine cowling. The pilot recalled banking left to avoid an interstate highway. He commented that the airplane "quit flying" just prior to the landing. The airplane came to rest upright in a corn field. A post impact fire consumed approximately one-half of the aircraft. A post accident inspection revealed that the number 3 engine cylinder had failed. The cylinder head had separated into two sections. Examination of the fracture faces revealed arced crack arrest marks and ratchet marks consistent with fatigue. The orientation of the marks suggested that the fatigue failure initiated at the root of the cylinder head thread engaged with the uppermost barrel thread. Engine maintenance records noted that the engine was overhauled in October 1993. Detailed overhaul records were no longer available. Markings on the failed cylinder suggested that it had been re-chromed consistent with the cylinder being overhauled at the time of the engine overhaul. The records indicated that the engine had accumulated approximately 7,495 hours total time, with about 615 hours since overhaul. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9828](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9828-2012-08-22), registration cancelled 2012-08-22, S/N 1288, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G-164A - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (registry code 3952801) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1288 - Airframe hours: 4652 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2007, 27 hours before - Departed: DVN, Davenport, IA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2006; seat: single; flight hours: 2,304 total, 201 in this make and model, 2,101 as pilot in command, 223 in the last 90 days, 194 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: MLI, 10 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 20070722020159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070722020159A), Jul 22, 2007: Scwzer G164A, Colona, IL, Substantial damage. (-23) On 07/25/2007 the aircraft from davenport airport, davenport, IA (dvn) to cropdust a field in henry county, IL. During cruise flight the aircraft lost… ## Other investigations on N9828 (2) 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. - [NTSB FTW92LA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW92LA085), Mar 9, 1992: Grumman G-164A (N9828), Valley Mills, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: POWER LOSS DUE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND THE RESULTANT MULTIPLE MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCIES. A FACTOR WAS THE WET TERRAIN. - [NTSB IAD76FIG14](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD76FIG14), Apr 24, 1976: Grumman G-164A (N9828), Downsville, MD, substantial damage 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.