# NTSB IAD05CA098: Grumman G164A, N48408, Williamstown, NJ, July 15, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 15, 2005, 05:30 local (09:30 UTC) - Place: Williamstown, NJ - Coordinates: 39.653331, -75.014442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6533&lon=-75.0144&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 61979 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD05CA098 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61979/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05CA098 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude, and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - wire,transmission - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis After takeoff, the pilot determined that the weather was worse than reported, and he returned to the departure airport. While on final approach, the airplane began to "settle," and the pilot was "slow" in his response. He added power, but the airplane struck wires and terrain prior to the approach end the runway. When asked about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot responded, "The airplane was fine. The engine was running perfectly. I'm not blaming anyone but me." In a subsequent conversation, the pilot added that he managed the airport, knew the wires were there, and that they were marked. ## Factual narrative On July 15, 2005, at 0530 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N48408, was substantially damaged when it struck wires, then collided with terrain while on final approach to the Southern Cross Airport (C01), Williamstown, New Jersey. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local positioning flight that departed Southern Cross Airport, about 0525. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot provided both a written statement and a telephone interview. He explained that the purpose of the flight was to check the local weather where he was contracted to spray crops. After takeoff, he determined that the weather was worse than reported, and he returned to the airport. The pilot stated that while on final approach, the airplane began to "settle," and that he was "slow" in his response. The pilot increased engine power, but the airplane struck wires and terrain prior to the approach end of runway 09. When asked about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot responded, "The airplane was fine. The engine was running perfectly. I'm not blaming anyone but me." In a subsequent conversation, the pilot added that he managed the airport, knew the wires were there, and that they were marked. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multi-engine land, single engine land, single engine sea, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. The pilot was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate on March 4, 2005. He reported 17,444 hours of flight experience, approximately 2,500 hours of which were in make and model. The weather reported at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), 16 nautical miles northwest of the airport included wind from 140 degrees at 3 knots. There were scattered clouds at 500 feet, and an overcast layer at 1,000 feet. The visibility was 5 miles in fog. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48408](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48408-2019-09-06), registration cancelled 2019-09-06, S/N 1634, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G164A - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (registry code 3952801) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1634 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R985-AN1 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Edward A. Carter - Registered owner: Edward A. Carter - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: CO1, Williamstown, NJ - Airport: CO1, Southern Cross Airport, runway 09 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 17,444 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 34 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn ## 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 20050715018889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050715018889A), Jul 15, 2005: Scwzer G164A, Williamstown, NJ, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 15, 2005, a Grumman agcat A-164A, N48408, struck electric power lines on approach to runway 09 at Southern Cross Airport (C01). The aircraft… ## Other investigations on N48408 (1) 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. - [NTSB IAD80FLT06](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD80FLT06), Apr 16, 1980: Grumman G-164A (N48408), Montezuma, TN, substantial damage 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.