- Date
- July 30, 1992, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Visalia, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6892KSchweizer G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920730028629A
- Case key
- 27711
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 improper stowage of an aerosol spray can in the cockpit which caused an electrical short and an ensuing fire, and his failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the subsequent aborted takeoff.
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 said he was on the takeoff ground roll when an aerosol spray can, which was sitting on the rear of the glare shield, shorted across two electrical terminals. Electrical arcing punctured the spray can and the contents burst into flames. The pilot aborted the takeoff and the aircraft ground looped during the pilot's attempt to stop the aircraft prior to the end of the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6892K
- Reported as
- Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 516B
- Airframe hours
- 6,870
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN-1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Gilbert Aviation Industries
- Registered owner
- Gilbert Aviation Industries
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 12, 1992 · 83 hours before
- Airport
- Q31 · Sequoia Field, runway 31, 3,200 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,500 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 9,400 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.