# NTSB GAA17CA443: Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G 164B, N48519, Berlin, MD, July 23, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 23, 2017, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC) - Place: Berlin, MD - Coordinates: 38.367221, -75.231109 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3672&lon=-75.2311&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway incursion veh/AC/person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/320) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 31, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 95676 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA443 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95676/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95676 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA443 ## Probable cause The ground crewman’s failure to visually check the runway before crossing it in a vehicle, which resulted in he and the vehicle being struck by the landing airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022035/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: ground vehicle](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025/cases.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 132 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway incursion veh/AC/person](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/320) (defining event); cases with it: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/320/sequence.md?model=3952802), [All aircraft, 104 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/320/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he noticed that a spray nozzle was leaking on the agricultural spray airplane. Subsequently, he performed multiple test flights over a nearby field while the head of the ground crew remained on the ground to monitor the leak. He added that he landed the airplane on the grass airstrip, adjusted the nozzle, departed for another visual check, and repeated as necessary. Following the tests and adjustments, the ground crewman told the pilot that the nozzle was not leaking, and the pilot returned to land. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he did not see the ground crewman visually check the runway before crossing the runway in front of the airplane in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). He added that he immediately veered the airplane to the right and sped up to avoid striking the ground crewman with the propeller. However, the left wing struck the ATV and the ground crewman. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing leading edge, and the ground crewman sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he noticed that a spray nozzle was leaking on the agricultural spray airplane. Subsequently, he performed multiple test flights over a nearby field while the head of the ground crew remained on the ground to monitor the leak. He added that he would land the airplane on the grass airstrip, adjust the nozzle, depart for another visual check, and repeat as necessary. Following the tests and adjustments, the ground personnel told the pilot that the nozzle was not leaking and the pilot returned to land. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, he did not see the ground personnel visually check the runway before crossing the runway on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) in front of the airplane. He added that he immediately veered the airplane to the right and sped up to avoid striking the ground personnel with the propeller. The left wing struck the ATV and the ground personnel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing leading edge and the ground personnel received minor injuries. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48519](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N48519), registered now, S/N 42B, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-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 R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 42B - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 8400 - Engines: Pratt & whitney 985 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Buntings Dusting Inc - Registered owner: Buntings Dusting Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 29, 2017 - Departed: 4MD1, Berlin, MD - Destination: 4MD1, Berlin, MD - Airport: 4MD1, Bunting'S Field - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 6, 2017; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,284.6 total, 84.1 in this make and model, 1,079 as pilot in command, 252.6 in the last 90 days, 152.6 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: KOXB, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170723012599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170723012599A), Jul 23, 2017: Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B, Berlin, MD, Substantial damage. During a landing on a private airstrip, an individual drove out on the runway on an all terrain vehicle (atv). The pilot was unable to avoid hitting it.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95676. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 542 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456740&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photos (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 902 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40456741&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos-Master.PDF 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.