# NTSB ERA16LA319: Grumman G164, N75EP, Chestertown, MD, September 18, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 18, 2016, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC) - Place: Chestertown, MD - Coordinates: 39.255279, -76.116943 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2553&lon=-76.1169&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - ADs cited in the narratives: [AD 99-11-02](https://openairdocs.org/ad/99-11-02) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 94046 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA319 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94046/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94046 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA319 ## Probable cause Loss of engine power due to a failure of the No. 3 cylinder head, which resulted in a forced landing and collision with ground equipment. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 233 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) (defining event); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3952801), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The day before the accident, the pilot was performing aerial application work when he noticed a significant loss of engine power and made an emergency landing in a corn field. Maintenance personnel inspected the engine and replaced the No. 2 cylinder, test ran the engine, and returned the airplane to service. The following day, the pilot ran the engine for several minutes before flight to ensure that it was operating normally. Experiencing no anomalous behavior, the pilot conducted a short-field takeoff, but immediately after rotation and during initial climb, the engine lost partial power. The pilot was unable to climb or maintain altitude and the airplane settled back onto the ground before colliding with farm equipment. Postaccident examination revealed that the No. 3 cylinder failed catastrophically. The failed accident cylinder was not examined in detail, and the manner in which the failure occurred was not determined. ## Factual narrative On September 18, 2016, about 1440 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N75EP, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Chestertown, Maryland. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. On September 17th, the day before the accident, the airplane was performing aerial agricultural work when the pilot noticed a significant loss of engine power and made a subsequent emergency landing in a corn field. Maintenance personnel inspected the engine and replaced the No. 2 cylinder, adjusted the valves and test ran the engine; the airplane was subsequently returned to service. On the day of the accident, the pilot reported that he ran the engine for 15 minutes on the ground then taxied down to the beginning of the private strip and ran the engine near full power for an additional 5 minutes, to make sure everything was normal. Experiencing no anomalies, the pilot conducted a short field takeoff, but immediately after takeoff, when the airplane was just a few feet in the air, he heard a "pop" and felt a vibration, followed by an immediate loss of engine power. The airplane was unable to climb or maintain altitude and it settled back down to the ground. The pilot was unable to maneuver or stop the airplane in time, and it struck farm equipment and a trailer before skidding to a stop and catching fire. PERSONNEL INFORMATION AIRCRAFT INFORMATION According to airplane maintenance records, the engine was overhauled on July 26, 2011 and the Pratt and Whitney Service Bulletin (SB) No. 1787, dated September 7, 1983, and requisite Airworthiness Directive (AD) No. 99-11-02 was complied with. This included visual and fluorescent penetrant inspection of cylinders for head cracking, and the replacement of cracked cylinders with serviceable parts. Thereafter, repetitive visual inspections of the cylinders must be made every 250 hours for this engine type, a Pratt & Whitney Radial R-1340 with installed baffles. The AD and SB were designed to prevent cylinder head cracking, which could result in engine power loss, forced landing, and damage to the airplane. Subsequent maintenance inspections on the engine occurred regularly and within the requisite hourly limits set forth in AD 99-11-02. From engine overhaul to the accident (5 years), there were eight documented cylinder inspections in accordance with the AD and in each case, there were no defects noted to the No. 3 cylinder. The most-recent inspection in accordance with the AD occurred on August 21, 2016, at 761 hours SMOH, and about 74 hours before the accident. However, the No. 2 cylinder was replaced twice; once on September 13, 2011 at 112.0 hours total time since major overhaul (SMOH) and again on September 18, 2016 at 835.9 hours total time SMOH, but the reason for replacement was not specified. No other cylinder crack irregularities were noted in the logbook. Theentry documenting the most-recent replacement of the number 2 cylinder did not note that an inspection in accordance with the AD had been complied with at that time (nor was one required to have been completed). METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplane was taking off from east to west on a private agricultural field that was about 1,000 ft long when it struck a trailer and farm equipment off the end of the takeoff surface, before coming to rest in a large gravel parking area near a hangar. The airplane was impact damaged, the fuselage was consumed by the postimpact fire, and there was significant thermal damage to the engine. Examination of the engine showed that the top of the No. 3 cylinder was fractured and separated near the head of the cylinder. The cylinder was not examined in any further detail. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N75EP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N75EP-2017-02-06), registration cancelled 2017-02-06, S/N 1394, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G164 (A) - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (registry code 3952801) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1394 - Year built: 1974 - Airframe hours: 7092 - Engines: Pratt-Whitney 1340 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Paniere Eric W - Registered owner: Paniere Eric W - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 15, 2016, 84 hours before - Departed: Chestertown, MD - Destination: Chestertown, MD - Airport: None, Private Agricultural Field - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 4, 2016; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,645 total, 206 in this make and model, 1,630 as pilot in command, 125 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,000 ft broken - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: BWI, 30 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20160918018799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160918018799A), Sep 18, 2016: Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, Chestertown, MD, Destroyed. On September 17, 2016 the pilot reported the aircraft engine was running rough and had a reduction in power. At that time the pilot performed a precautionary… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94046. 11.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9321787&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilots%206120%20Accident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9361071&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_Pilot-Rel.pdf - Maryland state police pilot & witness statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 333 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9326121&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maryland%20State%20Police%20Pilot%20and%20Witness%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_FAA (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9338281&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_FAA-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpt (item 5, PDF, 7 pages, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9327057&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=engine%20log%20book_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array-accident site and damage (item 6, PDF, 7 pages, 981 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9327008&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.