# NTSB FTW01LA136: Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, N48721, Powhatan, AR, June 6, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 6, 2001, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Powhatan, AR - Coordinates: 36.089397, -91.07061 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0894&lon=-91.0706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 3, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52430 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA136 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52430/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=52430 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA136 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance while maneuvering after takeoff. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - tree(s) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis Prior to departing for the 10 minute flight from the base of operation to the staging strip, the agricultural airplane's fuel tanks were topped off. After arriving at the staging strip, the airplane was loaded with 2,300 pounds of fertilizer. The airplane took off from the 2,900-foot dirt strip to the west with a right quartering tailwind (3-4 knots). After takeoff, while the airplane was turning left, its left wing struck trees. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground in a near inverted, nose low attitude, approximately 3,900 feet from the east end of the air strip. The airplane came to rest upright and was consumed by the ensuing fire. A witness reported observing the accident airplane as it was taking off to the west; however, he did not witness the accident. The witness reported that "the only thing that might have been odd about the takeoff was a slightly longer than normal [roll] out before he broke ground. But not enough concern for me to turn and watch his departure [to the] south." The operator reported that the normal south departure procedure when taking off west was to turn south prior to the trees and go under a set of power lines. The FAA inspector who examined the airplane wreckage, established flight control continuity. An autopsy on the pilot did not reveal evidence of any preexisting disease that could have contributed to the accident, and toxicological tests were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, alcohol, and drugs. ## Factual narrative On June 6, 2001, approximately 1430 central daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B agricultural airplane, N48721, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering after takeoff near Powhatan, Arkansas. The airplane was registered to Hicks Farms, Inc. and operated by Hoxie Flying Service, both of Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight was originating from the Cavenaugh Farm staging strip, Powhatan, when the accident occurred. According to the operator, prior to departing for the 10 minute flight from the Hoxie Flying Service's base of operation to the staging strip, the accident airplane's fuel tanks were topped off. After arriving at the staging strip, the airplane was loaded with 2,300 pounds of fertilizer. The airplane took off from the 2,900-foot dirt strip to the west with a right quartering tailwind (3-4 knots). After takeoff, while the airplane was turning left, its left wing struck trees, located along the east side of the Black River. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground in a near inverted, nose low attitude, approximately 3,900 feet from the east end of the air strip. The airplane came to rest upright and was consumed by the ensuing fire. A witness, the pilot of another airplane that was inbound to the staging strip from the south, reported observing the accident airplane as it was taking off to the west. As the accident airplane broke ground and turned to the south, the witness turned final to land to the east. Because of the dust hanging in the air over the dirt strip, the witness made a quick circle to the north to let the dust clear; therefore, he did not witness the accident. The witness further reported that "the only thing that might have been odd about the takeoff was a slightly longer than normal [roll] out before he broke ground. But not enough concern for me to turn and watch his departure [to the] south." The operator reported that the normal south departure procedure when taking off west was to turn south prior to the trees and go under a set of power lines. The pilot had previously flown from the staging strip. Examination of the airplane wreckage, by the FAA inspector who responded to the accident site, revealed that the fuselage and right wing were consumed by fire. The engine was separated from the fuselage, and the propeller was separated from the engine. All three propeller blades remained attached to the propeller hub. One blade exhibited twisting and was bent aft, and the tips of the other two blades were bent aft. Flight control continuity was established. The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory performed an autopsy on the pilot. There was no evidence found of any preexisting disease that could have contributed to the accident. Toxicological tests performed by the FAA's Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, alcohol, and drugs. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48721](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48721-2013-08-19), registration cancelled 2013-08-19, S/N 122B, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman-Schweizer G-164B - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b) (registry code 3952802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 122B - Airframe hours: 8726.7 - Engines: Garrett TPE-331-1-15A 665 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Hoxie Flying Service, Inc. - Registered owner: Hicks Farms, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, January 4, 2001, 247.7 hours before - Departed: NONE, Powhatan, AR - Airport: NONE, Cavenaugh Air Strip, runway 27, 3,000 × ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: fatal; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 2, 2000; seat: center; toxicology performed; flight hours: 5,799 total, 350 in this make and model, 5,749 as pilot in command, 250 in the last 90 days, 141 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: JBR, 26 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 20010606014819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010606014819A), Jun 6, 2001: Scwzer G164B, Portia, AR, No damage. (-23) On June 6, 2001, at approximately 1430 CDT, grumann-schweizer, G-164-B, N48721, an agricultural airplane, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during… ## Other investigations on N48721 (1) 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. - [NTSB ATL80DLQ23](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL80DLQ23), Jun 3, 1980: Grumman G-164B (N48721), Scottsville, KY, substantial damage ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=52430. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 393 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385018&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 192 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155454&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 3, .PDF, 103 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155455&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo 1: Accident Site Looking Toward Staging Strip. (item 4, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155456&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20%20Accident%20Site%20Looking%20Toward%20Staging%20Strip.-Master.PDF - Photo 2: View Of The Tree The Aircraft Struck. (item 5, .PDF, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155457&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20%20View%20Of%20The%20Tree%20The%20Aircraft%20Struck.-Master.PDF - Photo 3: View Of The Aircraft From The Tree It Struck. (item 6, .PDF, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155458&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%3A%20%20View%20Of%20The%20Aircraft%20From%20The%20Tree%20It%20Struck.%20%20-Master.PDF - Photo 4: Left Rear View of Aircraft (item 7, .PDF, 167 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155459&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%3A%20%20Left%20Rear%20View%20of%20Aircraft%20-Master.PDF - Photo 5: Left View Of Aircraft. (item 8, .PDF, 164 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155460&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%3A%20%20Left%20View%20Of%20Aircraft.%20%20-Master.PDF - Photo 6: Front View Of Aircraft. (item 9, .PDF, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155461&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%3A%20%20Front%20View%20Of%20Aircraft.-Master.PDF - Photo 7: View Of Propeller. (item 10, .PDF, 165 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155462&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207%3A%20%20View%20Of%20Propeller.%20%20-Master.PDF - Photo 8: View Of Propeller Blade. (item 11, .PDF, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40155463&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208%3A%20%20View%20Of%20Propeller%20Blade.%20-Master.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.