# NTSB LAX00LA246: Grumman G-164B, N48456, King City, CA, July 3, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 3, 2000, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: King City, CA - Coordinates: 36.199253, -120.939453 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1993&lon=-120.9395&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49561 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA246 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49561/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA246 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, maneuvering - aerial application - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment ## Analysis The pilot had flown about 4 hours in the airplane earlier that morning with no discrepancies noted. After reloading and refueling the airplane, he flew about 2 or 3 miles to the field he was to spray and completed three spray passes. As he started the fourth pass, about 50 - 100 yards into the field, the engine "sputtered" and lost power. The pilot pulled up toward a nearby open field but realized, because of the heavy weight of the aircraft, he couldn't make the field and turned to land on a field perimeter road. He landed tail high (2-point) and, as the tail came down, the wingtip hit an embankment on the right side and the airplane veered into the bank and came to rest. The pilot extricated himself and a postcrash fire ensued which consumed the airplane. Postcrash examination of the fuel truck that serviced the airplane revealed that the truck appeared well maintained and a fuel sample from the truck appeared clear and usable. No fuel sample remained in the aircraft after the fire. The aircraft was a total loss and no further examination was made to determine the cause of the engine failure. ## Factual narrative On July 3, 2000, at 0945 hours Pacific daylight time, a Grumman G-164B, N48456, was destroyed when the engine lost power on takeoff and the airplane crashed and burned in a field, 5 miles south of King City, California. The airplane, operated by Soilserv, Inc, under 14 CFR Part 137, was engaged in agricultural aerial application. The commercial certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The takeoff was from an unimproved airstrip following reloading and refueling of the aircraft. According to the pilot, he had flown about 4 hours in the airplane earlier that morning. No discrepancies were noted. After reloading and refueling the airplane, he flew about 2 or 3 miles to the field he was to spray and completed three spray passes. As he started the fourth pass, about 50 - 100 yards into the field, the engine "sputtered" and lost power. The pilot pulled up toward a nearby open field but realized, because of the heavy weight of the aircraft, he couldn't make the field and turned to land on a field perimeter road. He landed tail high (2-point) and, as the tail came down, the wingtip hit an embankment on the right side and the airplane veered into the bank and came to rest. The pilot extricated himself and a postcrash fire ensued, which consumed the airplane. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration San Jose Flight Standards District Office examined the fuel truck that serviced the airplane and reported that the truck appeared well maintained and a fuel sample from the truck appeared clear and usable. No fuel sample remained in the aircraft after the fire. The aircraft was a total loss and no further examination was made to determine the cause of the engine failure. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48456](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48456-2014-10-14), registration cancelled 2014-10-14, S/N 29B, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman 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: 29B - Airframe hours: 8641 - Engines: P&W R-985-AN14B 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Soilserv, Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 14, 2000, 12 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 4,000 total, 350 in this make and model, 3,950 as pilot in command, 90 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 131 °F, dew point 122 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SNS, 45 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 20000703010509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000703010509A), Jul 3, 2000: Scwzer G164B, King City, CA, No damage. (-23) On July 3, 2000 Mr. Robert contrell, pilot-in-command of Grumman G-164B ag cat N48456, conducting a sulpher dusting operation under 14 CFR part 137, five… 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.