- Date
- May 23, 1989, 14:08 local (19:08 UTC)
- Place
- Maxie, LA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N48467Schweizer G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 10, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890523012669A
- Case key
- 22724
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the trees. A factor related to the accident was: the presence of trees near the field where fertilizer was to be dispensed.
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
The acft was being used on a flt to spread fertilizer. Subsequently, it crashed in an area of dense trees near the edge of a field. The 1st impact with trees was at an alt of about 55' AGL, which sheared off a 9' branch from a tree. The acft contd 43' & hit trees again, about 31' AGL, & sheared off two 12' branches. It then crashed to the ground & came to rest about 85' from the initial impact point. There was evidence the acft was traveling at a moderate speed when it 1st hit the trees. According to witnesses, the eng was operating normally before impact. No mechanical problem of the acft or eng was found, except that continuity of the eng supercharger drive was disrupted; the investigation did not reveal whether the supercharger continuity had failed before or after impact. The acft's hopper was fully loaded with fertilizer when the acft crashed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48467
- Reported as
- Schweizer G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1648
- Engine
- P&W R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Aerohead Cropdusters
- Registered owner
- Aerohead Cropdusters, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 23, 1989 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Maxie, LA
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 10,000 in this make and model · 14,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.