- Date
- May 14, 1995, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Joes, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9506Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950514012009A
- Case key
- 19420
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 total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. Factors were: a malfunction in the fuel measuring system, the pilot's failure to perform fuel consumption calculations, and soft and unsuitable terrain for a 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
While performing an aerial application flight, a total loss of power occurred. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a soft field. During landing roll, the aircraft nosed over. Examination of the aircraft provided evidence of fuel exhaustion. Examination of the fuel system provided evidence that the fuel gauge indicated 15 gallons when the tanks were empty.
Factual narrative
On May 14, 1995, at 1100 mountain daylight time, a Grumman/Schweizer G-164A, N9506, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, approximately 14 miles north of Joes, Colorado. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this 14 CFR Part 137 flight. No flight plan was filed.
The pilot stated that the engine quit while on an aerial application run and he conducted a forced landing in a soft field. The aircraft nosed over during landing roll.
Examination of the aircraft by a repair facility provided information that the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. Examination of the fuel system by the repair facility provided evidence that the fuel gauge, which is a float type gauge, read 15 gallons when the tanks were empty.
The pilot provided information that the fuel gauge and measuring system components were original equipment and had approximately 5,311 hours in service with no overhaul, which is not required. The pilot also provided information that he had not conducted any fuel consumption calculations and relied on his fuel gauge.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9506
- Reported as
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1178
- Airframe hours
- 5,311
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Western Ag Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 1995 · 128 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · CO
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 8,900 total · 2,566 in this make and model · 240 in the last 90 days · 62 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.