- Date
- July 5, 2018, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rochelle, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6795QGrumman G164
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180705009129A
- Case key
- 97698
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 pilot’s failure to move the power lever to the proper position before takeoff, which resulted in insufficient airspeed and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the turbine-powered airplane reported that, during takeoff for an agricultural application flight, he failed to move the power lever from the ground idle position to the flight position. During takeoff, the airplane did not attain sufficient airspeed, aerodynamically stalled about 50 ft above the ground, impacted terrain, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. 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 of the turbine powered airplane reported that, during takeoff for an aerial application flight, he failed to move the power lever from the ground idle position to the flight position. During takeoff, the airplane did not attain sufficient airspeed, aerodynamically stalled about 50 ft above ground, impacted terrain, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6795Q
- Reported as
- Grumman G164 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 306B
- Built
- 1976
- Engine
- Honeywell Garrett, 720 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Hendrickson Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Hendrickson Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- IL93 · Rochelle, IL
- Destination
- IL93 · Rochelle, IL
- Airport
- IL93 · Hendrickson Flying Service, runway S, 2,800 × 200 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- 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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 23, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 849 total · 10 in this make and model · 700 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- KRPJ, 8 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
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 N6795Q · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.