- Date
- July 3, 2008, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Stotesbury, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N520YGrumman G-164
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080703840109A
- Case key
- 68397
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
Fracture of the engine's number eight cylinder barrel resulting in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
About one hour after takeoff the agricultural airplane's engine lost partial power. Unable to maintain level flight, the pilot elected to land in a corn field. During landing the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Moments later the airplane was engulfed in a postcrash fire. An examination of the engine revealed that the partial loss of engine power was due to a fracture in the number eight cylinder barrel, below the spark plug holes.
Factual narrative
On July 3, 2008, about 1300 central daylight time, a single-engine Grumman G-164 agricultural airplane, N520Y, was destroyed during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power near Stotesbury, Missouri. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural flight.
According to the pilot, about one hour after takeoff the engine lost partial power. Unable to maintain level flight, the pilot elected to land in a corn field. During landing the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Moments later the airplane was engulfed in a post crash fire.
The operator later reported that the partial loss of engine power was due to a fracture in the number eight cylinder barrel below the spark plug holes.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N520Y
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 157
- Airframe hours
- 5,600
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Dennis M Grainger
- Registered owner
- Dennis M Grainger
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 5, 2008
- Departed
- NVD · Nevada, MO
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
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2007
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 11,732 total · 400 in this make and model · 11,630 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
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 N520Y · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.