- Date
- September 8, 1989, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7498Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890908034299A
- Case key
- 22735
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
Fatigue failure of the propeller blade, which resulted in separation of the blade's tip and severe engine vibration. The soft terrain was a related factor.
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 ag pilot had just finished spraying a load of chemicals & was in a turn to look at the next field to be sprayed, when the airplane started to vibrate violently. He reduced power & turned to line up with a turnrow for a forced landing. After touchdown, the acft rolled about 300 yards on soft terrain, then nosed over as the plt applied brakes to avoid a ditch. A investigation revealed that 13 inches of one propeller blade was missing. A exam of the fracture surface showed indications of a pre-existing crack on the leading edge of the blade.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7498
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 945
- Airframe hours
- 6,833
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Terry Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Terry Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 2, 1989 · 328 hours before
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 5,034 total · 328 in this make and model · 5,034 as pilot in command · 375 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °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.