- Date
- September 22, 2000, 07:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Tracy, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8981HGrumman-Schweizer G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000922015559A
- Case key
- 50323
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
Loss of engine power due to failure and separation of the number one connecting rod.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot of the agricultural application aircraft reported that the aircraft's engine lost power during a turnaround maneuver, and, during the ensuing forced landing, the aircraft rolled through a muddy bog and nosed over. Postaccident examination revealed that the number 1 connecting rod failed.
Factual narrative
On September 22, 2000, at 0750 hours Pacific daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, N8981H, was substantially damaged when the aircraft nosed over inverted during an off-airport forced landing near Tracy, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the aerial application flight, which was operated by Trinkle and Boys Agri Flying, Inc., under 14 CFR Part 137. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed from a private airstrip near Tracy at 0740.
The pilot reported that the aircraft's engine lost power, and, during the ensuing forced landing, the aircraft rolled through a muddy bog and nosed over. Postaccident examination revealed that the number 1 connecting rod failed. The engine time in service since overhaul was 721 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8981H
- Reported as
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 48
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Trinkle And Boys Agri Fly'G
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 589 total · 120 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 147 °F, dew point 142 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SCK, 16 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.
Other investigations on N8981H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.