- Date
- July 19, 1991, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sharon Springs, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7964Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 24, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910719028939A
- Case key
- 14814
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
Aircraft takeoff performance exceeded and disregard of performance data by the pilot. A factor associated with the accident is high density altitude.
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 pilot of the accident airplane was unable to climb or maintain altitude after departing a 2500 foot long dirt landing strip with a load of agriculture chemicals. The airplane touched down in a plowed field and nosed over. According to the pilot the temperature at the 3500 foot MSL departure airstrip was 85 degrees fahrenheit and the winds were light and variable.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7964
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 841
- Engine
- P&W R985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- James L. Bussen, doing business as Bussen Aerial Spraying
- Registered owner
- James L. Bussen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 1991
- Airport
- NONE · Bussen
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,008 total · 20 in this make and model · 954 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7964 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.