- Date
- April 23, 2011, 07:59 local (11:59 UTC)
- Place
- Belhaven, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8896HGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110423007479A
- Case key
- 78947
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 adequate clearance above crops while performing an aerial application flight.
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 completed three or four passes of the aerial application flight before the accident. The airplane was heavily loaded as he approached the field, and he felt the plane mush a little bit. The airplane's wheels and spray rig struck the crops and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. During the accident sequence, the engine separated from the airplane and the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the pilot, the performance and handling of the airplane were great and there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he had completed three or four passes of the aerial application flight before the accident. He said, he was coming into the field, was heavily loaded, and he felt the plane mush a little bit. He got his wheels and spray rig into the wheat and it kind of pulled him down. During the accident sequence, the engine separated from the airplane and the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the pilot, the performance and handling of the airplane were great and there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8896H
- Reported as
- Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1554
- Airframe hours
- 7,225
- Engine
- P&W R-985 SERIES, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Lee Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Lee Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 2011 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- Pantego, NC
- Destination
- Bellhaven, NC
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
- 54
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 2,433 total · 540 in this make and model · 2,424 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KOCW, 20 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.0 MB in all.
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 N8896H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.