- Date
- August 4, 1992, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fouke, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3630UGrumman G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920804029009A
- Case key
- 18312
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff. Factors were the trees and the soft field.
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 a takeoff from a soft grass strip with a full load of chemicals the pilot was unable to attain the required airspeed to effect lift off. In an attempt to rapidly lose weight and gain airspeed the pilot dumped his chemicals. The loss of the weight of chemicals did not allow him to gain sufficient airspeed and with the limited runway available his right wing struck a tree. Following the tree strike with the right wing the left wing struck the ground and the airplane went out of control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3630U
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 760B
- Airframe hours
- 3,802
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Helms, Dwight R., doing business as Red River Ag Service
- Registered owner
- Helms, Dwight R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 7, 1992 · 366 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- None, runway 18, 2,640 × 45 ft, dirt
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,400 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 9,350 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TXK, 14 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.
Other investigations on N3630U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.