- Date
- June 14, 1994, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gilbert, LA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N164MCGrumman G-164D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940614015289A
- Case key
- 19085
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 inadvertent stall while performing aerobatic maneuvers at an inadequate altitude.
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 pilot attempted to perform a slow roll with an unrestrained passenger riding standing up in an area behind the pilot's seat. The maneuver developed into a flat inverted spin. The property owner stated that the pilot was forced to terminate his agricultural spraying work due to high winds in the area. The pilot allowed the flag man to ride back home to assist him in getting the airplane changed over from liquid to dry spraying.
Factual narrative
On June 14, 1994, at 1130 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164D, N164MC, was destroyed while maneuvering near Gilbert, Louisiana. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, while his passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the positioning flight.
According to the property owner, the pilot was forced to terminate his agricultural spraying work due to high winds in the area. He added that the pilot had asked his flag man to ride back to home base with him to assist in getting the airplane changed over from liquid to dry spraying. The pilot removed a large inspection panel aft of the pilot's seat so the flag man could ride standing up unrestrained.
Witnesses observed the airplane enter a flat spin after the airplane became inverted while attempting to perform a slow roll at an estimated altitude between 1,200 and 1,400 feet AGL.
The airplane came to rest on a rice field. The engine was found buried in the soft ground, with a 6 inch portion of a propeller blade tip above the ground.
The surviving passenger did not make himself available for an interview, nor will he complete a passenger statement form sent to his residence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N164MC
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2D
- Airframe hours
- 3,963
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Berry, James E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 5, 1994 · 186 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Wisner, LA
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
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,548 total · 6,727 in this make and model · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLU, 35 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.