- Date
- May 4, 1998, 18:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- Lewisville, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N48484Grumman G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980504008429A
- Case key
- 20595
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 for undetermined reasons. 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
The pilot of the turbine-powered agricultural airplane reported that the engine loss power while applying fertilizer to pine trees. The pilot added that there were no open areas available for the forced landing and the airplane settled into the pine trees. The airplane's fuel system was found to be 3/4 full, and fuel was present in the fuel lines to the engine. The operator reported that 3 other airplanes under his supervision were refueled from the same tanker and none reported any fuel contamination problems. The engine was not equipped with an auto re-light or continuos ignition system. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On May 4, 1998, at 1855 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B agricultural airplane, N48484, was substantially damaged after impacting trees and terrain following the loss of engine power while maneuvering near Lewisville, Arkansas. The non-instrument rated commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by Thrash Air Service Inc., of Pelahatchie, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight for which a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed from Clinton, Arkansas, at approximately 1835.
According to local law enforcement officers that responded to the accident site, the pilot reported that the engine loss power while applying fertilizer to pine trees. The pilot added that there were no open areas available for the forced landing and the airplane settled into the pine trees.
Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed that both main landing gears were torn off the airframe and the leading edges of both lower wings sustained structural damage. The airplane's fuel system was found to be 3/4 full, and fuel was present in the fuel lines to the engine.
The operator reported that 3 other airplanes under his supervision were refueled from the same tanker and none reported any fuel contamination problems. The airplane had been converted to turbine power. The engine was not equipped with an auto re-light or continuos ignition system.
The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48484
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 43B
- Engine
- Garrett TPE331-6-252M, 840 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Jimmy Thrash
- 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 20,000 as pilot in command · 400 in the last 90 days · 140 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TXK, 25 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 N48484 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.