- Date
- May 19, 1995, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Colusa, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9830Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950519014479A
- Case key
- 29099
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 misjudged flare height and timing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and hard landing. Factors in the accident were the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the lack of a suitable forced landing area.
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 reported that he was on his second spray run spreading rice seeds when the engine began to lose power. The pilot described the power loss as a gradual reduction in power output without roughness. In spite of full throttle application, the engine power output continued to decline. The pilot elected to attempt a forced landing in a flooded field, which was the only clear area void of obstructions he felt he could make with the power output available. The pilot said the aircraft stalled about 10 feet off the ground and the aircraft landed hard. No discrepancies were found during an examination of the engine.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 1995, about 0900 Pacific daylight time, a Grumman G- 164A, N9830, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a flooded rice field near Colusa, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during aerial application operations. The aircraft was operated by Miller Flying Service of Colusa, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at a farm road near the field about 10 minutes prior to the accident as part of a series of flights conducted that morning.
In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was on his second spray run spreading rice seeds when the engine began to lose power. The pilot described the power loss as a gradual reduction in power output without roughness. In spite of full throttle application, the engine power output continued to decline. The pilot elected to attempt a forced landing in a flooded field, which was the only clear area void of obstructions he felt he could make with the power output available. The pilot said the aircraft stalled about 10 feet off the ground and the aircraft landed hard.
The operator reported in a telephone interview that no discrepancies were found during an examination of the engine. The operator declined to complete a NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, Form 6120.1/2.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9830
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1257
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Paul P. Miller, doing business as Miller Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Chuck Jones Flying Service
- 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
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F
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 N9830 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.