# NTSB FTW04CA246: Grumman G-164A, N8661H, Gilbert, LA, September 28, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 28, 2004, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Gilbert, LA - Coordinates: 32.014167, -91.663887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0142&lon=-91.6639&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60241 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04CA246 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60241/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA246 ## Probable cause The failure of a piston connecting rod for undetermined reasons resulting in the loss of engine power. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - engine assembly,connecting rod - failure (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - crop - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - other - object - pole - object - fence - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The 11,000-hour pilot reported that during an aerial application flight, the "engine began running rough." The pilot initiated a turn back toward the airport and "attempted to gain altitude." At an altitude of approximately 200 feet above ground level and approximately 1/2 mile from the runway when the engine "shuttered violently and quit." The pilot initiated a forced landing to a nearby pasture. The pilot stated that during the landing roll, the airplane impacted a wire fence, crossed two ditches, one road, impacted a second fence, crossed another pasture, and impacted a third fence before coming to rest upright in a plowed field. Examination of the radial engine revealed a piston connecting rod was separated the piston. The operator reported that at the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated 462 hours since major overhaul and 300 hours since the last annual inspection. ## Factual narrative On September 28, 2004, at 0900 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A single-engine agricultural biplane, registered to a private individual and operated by The Airport, of Gilbert, Louisiana, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Gilbert, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not 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 originated from a private airstrip near Gilbert, Louisiana, at 0830. The 11,000-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that after he performed a preflight inspection on the airplane, he conducted a 45-minute aerial application flight. After reloading the hopper with a chemical load, he departed the private airstrip to commence a second aerial application on a nearby field. During the aerial application flight, the "engine began running rough," and the pilot initiated a turn back toward the airport while "attempting to gain altitude." At an altitude of approximately 200 feet above ground level and approximately 1/2 mile from the runway, the engine "shuttered violently and quit." The pilot initiated a forced landing to a nearby pasture. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a fence, crossed two ditches, a road, impacted a second fence, crossed another pasture, and impacted a third fence before coming to rest upright in a plowed field. Examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the site of the accident, revealed the lower right wing was separated from the fuselage. The upper wing was completely separated from its mount. Examination of the Pratt and Whitney R-1340 radial engine revealed a piston connecting rod was separated from the piston. The operator reported that at the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated 462 hours since the last major overhaul, and 300 hours since the last annual inspection. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8661H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8661H-2017-08-23), registration cancelled 2017-08-23, S/N 1453, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G-164A - 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: 1453 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: The Airport - Registered owner: Steven Albert Parker - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: Gilbert, LA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 12,000 total, 2,400 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: MLS, 35 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 20040928023449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040928023449A), Sep 28, 2004: Scwzer G164A, Gilbert, LA, Destroyed. (-23) Pilot heard and felt the engine do a "rhythmic" miss, about 2-3 minutes later the engine failed, pilot put aircraft down in a corn field. ## Other investigations on N8661H (2) 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 FTW84LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW84LA262), Jun 1, 1984: Grumman G-164A (N8661H), Bell City, LA, substantial damage - [NTSB FTW75FRD52](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW75FRD52), May 15, 1975: Grumman G-164A (N8661H), Iowa, LA, substantial damage 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.