- Date
- March 9, 1992, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Valley Mills, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9828Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920309017049A
- Case key
- 18455
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
Power loss due inadequate maintenance and the resultant multiple maintenance discrepancies. A factor was the wet terrain.
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 descent for aerial application of fertilizer on a wheat field, the engine lost power and the pilot made a forced landing. During the landing roll in the wet field the airplane nosed over. A review of the maintenance records revealed that the engine was approved for automotive fuel. An engine teardown was conducted. Spark plugs installed on the back side of the cylinders were not approved by the engine manufacturer. The plugs were corroded and fouled. Carbon deposits were found in the oil. The intake manifold, the valves, and the tops of the pistons contained carbon deposits. The manufacturer recommended engine overhaul is between 600 and 1000 hours for this engine. Eight hundred and forty seven hours of use had occurred with this engine since the last overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9828
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1288
- Airframe hours
- 5,350
- Engine
- P&W R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Don E. Lowe, doing business as Lowe Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Johnson, L. D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 6, 1991 · 427 hours before
- Departed
- F60 · Mcgregor, TX
- Destination
- F60
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 175 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ACT, 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 N9828 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.