- Date
- May 7, 1994, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- El Campo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9682Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 7, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940507010279A
- Case key
- 19048
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 partial loss of engine power due to one magneto being weak and the other magneto arcing inside its case. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
A loss of engine power was experienced during initial takeoff climb. During the emergency descent the airplane struck power lines, and descended out of control. The airplane came to rest inverted, and was destroyed by a post impact fire. An examination of the engine revealed no mechanical failures that could have caused the loss of power; however, testing of the magnetos revealed that one was weak and the other was arcing inside its case.
Factual narrative
On May 7, 1994, at 1630 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N9682, was destroyed during a forced landing near El Campo, Texas. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight.
The pilot reported that during the takeoff initial climb, after turning crosswind, the engine started to lose power. During the emergency descent the airplane struck power lines, and control was lost. The pilot attempted to jettison his chemical load for the forced landing. The pilot further reported that the airplane came to rest inverted, and was destroyed by a post-impact fire.
An examination of the engine revealed no mechanical failures that could have caused the loss of power. However, testing of the magnetos revealed that one was weak and the other magneto was arcing inside its case.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9682
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1201
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Grayson Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,457 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 1,759 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 20 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PSX, 50 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.