- Date
- July 25, 1990, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sommerset, LA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7854Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900725028519A
- Case key
- 22990
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 pilot's failure to attain adequate clearance above crops at the end of the runway.
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
After takeoff from the sod strip the airplane flew into a three foot tall bean field at the end of the runway. A witness reported that the main wheels contacted the crops causing the airplane to slide to a stop on its side. Post impact fire erupted very shortly thereafter. The pilot was able to escape from the wreckage, but succumbed to burn injuries one week after the accident. Density altitude was 1,600 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7854
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802
- Airframe hours
- 7,728
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Farm Air Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Farm Air Service, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 13, 1990 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Somerset
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,300 total · 3,300 in this make and model · 3,300 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 125 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.