FTW94LA211

NTSB accident investigation · Grumman-Schweizer G-164A · Dumas, AR · June 25, 1994

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 25, 1994, 09:55 local (14:55 UTC)
Place
Dumas, AR
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N4222PGrumman-Schweizer G-164A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 14, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19940625016729A
Case key
19096

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to establish the proper airspeed before beginning a turn after takeoff.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Airspeed - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectDescent - uncontrolled
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

According to the pilot, the takeoff was normal in all respects and he initiated a turn shortly after liftoff as was his normal custom. He further stated that the airplane immediately began to shake and shudder in the turn and would not climb. He leveled the airplane; however, after it cleared a hangar and a trailer it impacted trees. The operator, who witnessed the takeoff, stated the airplane appeared and sounded normal and that it was his opinion the pilot initiated the turn early after liftoff and stalled the airplane.

Factual narrative

On June 25, 1994, at 0955 central daylight time, a Grumman- Schweizer G-164A, N4222P, was destroyed when it collided with trees shortly after takeoff in Dumas, Arkansas. The airplane, owned and operated by King's Agricultural Flying Service, Inc., and flown by a commercial pilot, had just departed on what was to have been an aerial application flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot was not injured.

According to the pilot, the takeoff was normal in all respects and he initiated a turn shortly after liftoff, which he stated was his normal custom. He further stated that the airplane immediately began to shake and shudder in the turn and would not climb. The pilot leveled the wings "fully expecting the plane to get up and go. It didn't." The pilot started dumping his load of urea, during which time the airplane cleared a hangar and a trailer house. Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted trees in a nose high/tail low attitude. The airplane subsequently nosed over in the trees and impacted in a swamp. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot was able to extricate himself and float to the surface. The pilot did not state why the airplane would not climb after liftoff. The operator, who observed the takeoff, stated that the airplane throttled up and accelerated normally during the takeoff run and that he neither saw nor heard any evidence of a power loss while he was observing the airplane. The operator did state that it was his opinion the pilot initiated the turn early after liftoff and stalled the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N4222P
Reported as
Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
1705
Engine
P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner
King'S Ag Flying Service, 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
41
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Center
Flight hours
3,815 total · 2,600 in this make and model · 3,748 as pilot in command · 270 in the last 90 days · 162 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
325° at 3 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.