# NTSB LAX05LA165: Grumman G-164C, N6535K, Willows, CA, May 8, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 8, 2005, 09:16 local (16:16 UTC) - Place: Willows, CA - Coordinates: 39.516387, -122.217498 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5164&lon=-122.2175&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61468 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX05LA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61468/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA165 ## Probable cause the loss of engine power due to the fractured piston pin boss on the number 5 cylinder. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, maneuvering - aerial application - engine assembly,piston - fractured (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - berm - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,main gear attachment - overload ## Analysis The pilot force landed the airplane in a rice field following a loss of engine power and the main landing gear was sheared off after contacting a berm. While the pilot was seeding rice over a field, the engine lost partial power. The pilot force landed the airplane in a field. During the landing roll, the landing gear impacted a berm and were sheared from their structural attachment points on the airplane. Until the ground impact, the engine was producing partial power, but not enough to sustain flight. Post accident inspection of the engine by the Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator revealed that the number 5 cylinder piston had fractured at the piston pin boss. The piston pin, which is mounted in the piston pin boss and holds the piston to the connecting rod, fell from the boss and the connecting rod was free to rotate. The engine was overhauled about 1,154 hours prior to the accident. The maintenance history on the piston could not be determined based on available records. ## Factual narrative On May 8, 2005, at 0916 Pacific daylight time, a restricted category Grumman G-164C, N6535K, force landed in a rice field after a loss of engine power near Willows, California. Chuck Jones Flying Service, who was also the registered owner of the airplane, was operating it under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137. The commercial pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local area agricultural application flight. According to the pilot, while seeding rice over a field, the engine lost partial power. The pilot force landed the airplane in a field. During the landing roll, the landing gear impacted a berm and were sheared from their structural attachment points on the airplane. Until the ground impact, the engine was producing partial power, but not enough to sustain flight. The Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator reported that the number 5 cylinder piston had fractured at the piston pin boss. The piston pin, which is mounted in the piston pin boss and holds the piston to the connecting rod, fell from the boss and the connecting rod was free to rotate. Following the accident, the piston was jammed in the cylinder barrel and had to be cut from the engine for removal. The engine was overhauled about 1,154 hours prior to the accident. The maintenance history on the piston could not be determined based on available records. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6535K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6535K), registered now, S/N 3C, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G-164C - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164C](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164c) (registry code 3952803) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Wright R-1820 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-r-1820-series) (registry code 67020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3C - Airframe hours: 2721 - Engines: Wright R-1820 1200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Chuck Jones Flying Service - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 2005, 2 hours before - Departed: Willows, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2005; seat: single; flight hours: 15,600 total, 700 in this make and model, 12,600 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,800 ft overcast - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KSAC, 69 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 20050508008599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050508008599A), May 8, 2005: Scwzer G164C, Willos, CA, Minor damage. (-23) During agricultural applications operations from a remote air strip near Willos CA. In VMC conditions. The pilot stated that after take off the engine… 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.