- Date
- September 19, 2001, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eagle Lake, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N73PBGrumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010919028669A
- Case key
- 53498
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 partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an in flight collision with trees and terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the second turn around maneuver of the aerial application flight, the engine lost partial power. The pilot dumped the 250 gallon fertilizer load; however, the airplane descended, struck trees, and impacted the ground. The reason for the power loss was not determined.
Factual narrative
On September 19, 2001, approximately 0900 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, agricultural airplane, N73PB, struck trees during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power near Eagle Lake, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by Hicks Double L Flying Service of Wallis, Texas, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. The airplane was destroyed, and the commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from Eagle Lake, at 0845.
The pilot and operator reported that the airplane was applying fertilizer onto a peanut field. During the second turn around maneuver, the engine "coughed and lost some power." The pilot dumped 250 gallons of fertilizer; however, the airplane descended, struck trees, and impacted the ground.
The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, found the airplane inverted in trees and brush. The wing spars were bent. Structural damage was found throughout the airplane. The reason for the loss of engine power was undetermined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73PB
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1118
- Airframe hours
- 6,492
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Lowell R. Hicks
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- ELA · Eagle Lake, TX
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2000
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,506 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,445 as pilot in command · 500 in the last 90 days · 125 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 135° at 1 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F
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 N73PB · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.