# NTSB FTW99LA218: Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, N8253K, Ferriday, LA, August 12, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 12, 1999, 08:50 local (13:50 UTC) - Place: Ferriday, LA - Coordinates: 31.62972, -91.55046 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.6297&lon=-91.5505&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 22, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47041 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW99LA218 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47041/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA218 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - aerial application - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - high vegetation ## Analysis The agricultural airplane nosed over during a forced landing to a cotton field following a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane was 1 to 2 feet above cotton bushes when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that there was no 'sputtering, backfiring, or warning of the impending loss of engine power.' During the forced landing, the airplane contacted cotton bushes and nosed over. The operator reported that there was no fuel present when he attempted to sump the fuel tanks. The engine was test run by the operator and no anomalies were found. ## Factual narrative On August 12, 1999, at 0850 central daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B agricultural airplane, N8253K, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain following a loss of engine power near Ferriday, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Blackwell Air Service of Ferriday, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from the operator's private grass strip at 0800. According to the 13,000-hour pilot, he was applying "malathion," a chemical utilized for the eradication of boll weevils, to a cotton field. The airplane was 1 to 2 feet above cotton bushes when the engine lost total power. The pilot stated that there was no "sputtering, backfiring, or warning of the impending loss of engine power." The pilot executed a forced landing in the cotton field. During the landing roll, the airplane contacted "larger" cotton bushes, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were structurally damaged and the cabane struts collapsed. The operator reported that no fuel was present when he attempted to sump the fuel tanks. The engine was test run by the operator and no anomalies were found. The operator reported that the "engine appears to have run out of fuel." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8253K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8253K-2008-05-28), registration cancelled 2008-05-28, S/N 636B, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman-Schweizer G-164B - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164b) (registry code 3952802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 636B - Airframe hours: 6600 - Engines: P&W R-1340-AN1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Lewis B. Blackwell - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 11, 1999, 27 hours before - Departed: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 13,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 13,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990812011789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990812011789A), Aug 12, 1999: Scwzer G164B, Ferriday, LA, Substantial damage. Acft engine quit during aerial application, the pilot made an emergency landing in a cotton field, and the acft flipped over on landing. (From .19) on August… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.