- Date
- May 8, 1994, 11:35 local (18:35 UTC)
- Place
- Gridley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3629ESchweizer G-164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940508010319A
- Case key
- 28736
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
a loss of engine power due to a cracked engine cylinder head.
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 aircraft operator reported that the pilot was spraying seeds in a farm field when the engine failed. The pilot attempted to land in a nearby field and collided with a canal ditch. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a crack in the number 8 cylinder head from one spark plug hole to the other spark plug hole.
Factual narrative
On May 8, 1994, at 1135 Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer G- 164B, N3629E, collided with a canal ditch near Gridley, California, during a forced landing attempt. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power. The aircraft was operated by Williams AG Service, Inc., of Biggs, California, and was engaged in aerial application operations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Jones AG airstrip at Biggs about 1115 hours on the day of the accident.
In a telephone interview, the owner of Williams AG Service, Inc., stated that the pilot was spraying seeds in a farm field when the engine failed. The pilot attempted to land in a nearby field and collided with a canal ditch. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a crack in the number 8 cylinder head from one spark plug hole to the other spark plug hole.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3629E
- Reported as
- Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 744B
- Engine
- P&W R1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Williams Ag Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Haley'S Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 25, 1994 · 63 hours before
- Departed
- CL23 · Biggs, CA
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 12,000 in this make and model · 19,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 65 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N3629E · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.