- Date
- July 31, 1996, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Burlington, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N25SKGrumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960731020289A
- Case key
- 19930
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 total loss of engine power resulting from a cracked cylinder. A factor was the unsuitable 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
The pilot reported that he was returning from spraying a field when the engine lost power. He performed a forced landing to an alfalfa field. The airplane's left landing gear impacted a ditch, and the airplane came to a stop in an inverted position. The FAA inspector on the scene reported that a crack was found on the bottom number 5 cylinder.
Factual narrative
On July 31, 1996, at 0800 mountain daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N25SK, registered to Steggs Flying Service and operated by Seelhoff Aerial Spraying, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Burlington, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. A flight plan was not filed for the local flight that began approximately one hour before the accident.
The pilot reported that he was returning from spraying a field when the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to an alfalfa field. The airplane's left landing gear impacted a ditch made by a pivotal sprinkler system, and the airplane came to a stop in an inverted position. The top wing, the empennage, and the propeller were all damaged in the impact sequence.
The FAA inspector on the scene reported that, when the engine was inspected, a crack was found on the bottom number 5 cylinder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25SK
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1335
- Airframe hours
- 3,882
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Ron Seelhoff, doing business as Seelhoff Aerial Spraying
- Registered owner
- Steggs Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 11, 1996 · 150 hours before
- Departed
- ITR
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,145 total · 358 in this make and model · 2,790 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 55 °F
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 N25SK · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.