- Date
- March 14, 1994, 18:30 local (Mar 15, 1994, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sublette, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9686Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940314015349A
- Case key
- 9484
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 commercial pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Related factors are sun glare and rising terrain.
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 stated he was involved in aerial application of herbicide. He reported he was making a spray run on a westerly heading with the sun in his eyes and the airplane impacted rising terrain. The pilot stated the terrain rose sharply and he did not notice the increase in terrain elevation.
Factual narrative
On March 14, 1994, at 1830 central standard time, a Grumman G164A, N9686, operated by Max Birney Aerial Spraying, Inc. impacted rising terrain during an aerial application swath run in the vicinity of Sublette, Kansas. The pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 137, and originated from a private airstrip in Sublette, Kansas approximately 1815.
The pilot reported he was flying on a westerly heading during an herbicide application spray run. He stated the sun was in his eyes "...setting on the horizon..." and he did not observe an increase in terrain elevation. The pilot reported the landing gear struck the terrain and the airplane "...flipped...end over end...coming to stop right side up." The pilot's safety recommendation was to fly higher during spray runs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9686
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1211
- Engine
- P&W R-1340 AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Max Birney Aerial Spraying
- Registered owner
- Max Birney Aerial Spraying
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 6,300 total · 250 in this make and model · 6,300 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GCK, 22 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.