- Date
- August 10, 1994, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Matagorda, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8251KGrumman G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940810021099A
- Case key
- 19137
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
A power loss due to cracked engine cylinder. 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
As the pilot made a spray pass over a rice field the engine began backfiring, then lost power. The pilot jettisoned the chemical and attempted to land on a dirt road. The airplane collided with trees as he maneuvered for landing. Post accident engine examination revealed a crack in the number 4 cylinder near the exhaust valve.
Factual narrative
On August 10, 1994, approximately 0900 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B, N8251K, was destroyed when it collided with trees during a forced landing near Matagorda, Texas. The airline transport-rated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The following is based on a telephone conversation with the operator and the pilot/operator report. The pilot was engaged in an aerial application operation. As he made a spray pass over a rice field, the engine began backfiring and lost power. The pilot jettisoned the chemical and attempted to land on a dirt road. The airplane collided with trees as he maneuvered for landing.
According to the operator, post-accident engine examination revealed a crack in the number 4 cylinder near the exhaust valve.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8251K
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 634B
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Fehmel Planes, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1994 · 490 hours before
- Departed
- TX11 · Bay City, TX
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
- 47
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 5,000 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command · 400 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PSX, 20 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 N8251K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.