- Date
- May 19, 1998, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eunice, LA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8308KGulfstream-Schweizer G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1999
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980519010189A
- Case key
- 20617
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 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
While en route to a field to apply fertilizer, the aircraft's engine lost power for an undetermined reason. The pilot initiated a forced landing and turned towards an open field. The aircraft 'clipped' the top of a tree, impacted the ground, and came to rest inverted. A postimpact fire ensued, which destroyed the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 1998, at 1830 central daylight time, a Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B agricultural airplane, N8308K, owned and operated by the pilot, DBA Cajun Cropdusters, was destroyed during a forced landing, following a loss of engine power near Eunice, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft, was seriously injured.
According to the pilot, the aircraft was over a pond about a mile from its staging field, en route to a field to apply fertilizer, when the aircraft's engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing and turned to the left towards an open field. The aircraft "clipped" the top of a tree separating the left main landing gear. The aircraft impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. A postimpact fire ensued, which destroyed the aircraft.
According to the FAA inspector, the aircraft's last annual inspection was completed on May 19, 1998, with a total aircraft time of 5,748 hours.
The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8308K
- Reported as
- Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 655B
- Engine
- P&W R-985-AN1, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Jean P. Ardoin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 1998
- Departed
- NONE
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 430 total · 130 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LFT, 24 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.