- Date
- August 11, 1994, 09:54 local (16:54 UTC)
- Place
- Laton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N699YSchweizer G-164-A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940811027199A
- Case key
- 28821
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
failure of the No.7 cylinder for an unspecified reason.
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
During a day aerial application flight, the no.7 engine cylinder failed. The pilot made an emergency landing in a cotton field and the airplane nosed over. The engine had 750 hours since overhaul, and 100 hours since the last inspection. The reason for the failure was not reported.
Factual narrative
On August 11, 1994, at 0954 Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer G-164, N699Y, collided with ground obstructions during a forced landing near Laton, California. The pilot was completing a visual flight rules (VFR) local aerial application flight. The airplane, operated by Trinkle Flying Service, Kingsburg, California, sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at the operator's Kingsburg Flying Service private airstrip at an undetermined time.
The pilot reported that the No.7 cylinder split, resulting in a significant loss of engine power. He was unable to return to the Kingsburg airstrip, so he landed in a nearby cotton field. The airplane nosed over in tall cotton. The engine had 750 flight hours since overhaul, and 100 hours since the last inspection. The operator did not report why the cylinder failed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N699Y
- Reported as
- Schweizer G-164-A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 250
- Airframe hours
- 13,300
- Engine
- P&W R-1340AN-1, 550 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Mark K. Trinkle, doing business as Trinkle Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Mark R. Trinkle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 16, 1994 · 150 hours before
- Departed
- Kingsburg, CA
- Destination
- 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
- 41
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 9,000 in this make and model · 250 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
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 N699Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.