- Date
- July 22, 2008, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Providence, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7249Grumman 164A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080722841579A
- Case key
- 68500
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 pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering during an aerial application. Contributing to the accident was the wind gust.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he had just descended down a line of approximately 100-foot-tall trees in a bi-wing agricultural airplane and entered a swath path that was approximately 3-4 feet high above a rice crop. The normal height for the airplane above this particular crop was about 8 to 12- feet-high. As the pilot attempted to climb to a higher altitude, a wind gust pushed the airplane from the right and off of his swath path. Instead of adjusting for his low altitude first, the pilot attempted to realign the airplane back on the swath path by applying right rudder and slight back pressure on the control stick. As a result, the application of right rudder reduced lift and the airplane's right main wheel struck a levy. The airplane flipped over three times before it came to rest in a near vertical position. Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine was torn from its mounts, and the empennage and tail section separated from the airframe. In addition, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The commercial rated pilot stated that he had just descended down a line of approximately 100-foot-tall trees in a bi-wing agricultural airplane and entered a swath path that was approximately 3-4 feet high about a rice crop. The normal height for the airplane above this particular crop was about 8 to 12- feet-high. As the pilot attempted to climb to a higher altitude, a wind gust pushed the airplane from the right and off of his swath path. Instead of adjusting for his low altitude first, the pilot attempted to realigned the airplane back on the swath path by applying right rudder and slight back pressure on the control stick. As a result, the application of right rudder reduced lift and the airplane's right main wheel struck a levy. The airplane flipped over three times before it came to rest in a near vertical position. Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine was torn from its mounts, and the empennage and tail section separated from the airframe. In addition, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7249
- Reported as
- Grumman 164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0163
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney 1340, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Carroll Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Lamar Perry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Bayou Meadow, LA
- Destination
- OM8 · Lake Prondue, LA
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 500 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.