- Date
- May 23, 1995, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ville Platte, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N48538Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 19, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950523012919A
- Case key
- 19435
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 pilot's failure to clear a levee during the approach. A factor was a truck parked on the runway.
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
On approach to the 1,400-FT grass airstrip, the aircraft's lower right wing struck a levee '...pulling [it] down and to the right....' The aircraft subsequently nosed over in a bordering ditch. Due to a servicing truck parked on the approach end of the strip the pilot could not make a straight-in approach and made an off-set approach.
Factual narrative
On May 23, 1995, at 1630 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N48538, was substantially damaged while on approach to landing near Ville Platte, Louisiana. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at a private grass airstrip in Ville Platte, Louisiana earlier in the day.
In the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that "while attempting a landing [on a 1,400 foot long grass airstrip]...the right lower wing struck a levee, pulling the airplane down and to the right, resulting in a nose over in a bordering ditch." Post crash examination of the aircraft revealed structural damage to both wings, the fuselage, and propeller.
An inspection of the accident scene revealed that the pilot could not complete a straight in approach to the 1400 foot landing strip due to a servicing truck being parked on the approach end. In the pilot's written report he diagrammed his approach,it depicted an angled approach from the north.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48538
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1667
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Young, Aaron
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- runway 18, 1,400 × 45 ft, grass/turf
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 5,700 as pilot in command · 350 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.