- Date
- April 27, 1998, 07:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Robbins, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N31785Schweizer G164D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 21, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980427007839A
- Case key
- 30075
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
Aircraft rudder post failure due to extensive rusting which resulted in a partial loss of aircraft control.
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 low altitude aerial application run, the aircraft rudder post broke resulting in a partial loss of flight control. The airplane then drug a wing tip and cartwheeled into the ground. During a postflight inspection of the rudder assembly, it was noted that the rudder post was extensively oxidized (rusted) in the area of the break point. There were also rust deposits on approximately 1/3 of the circumference of the parting surfaces.
Factual narrative
On April 27, 1998, at 0715 hours Pacific daylight time, a Schweizer G164D, N31785, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Robbins, California. The solo commercial pilot sustained minor injuries and no property damage was incurred. The flight had departed Tolle's Flying Service southwest of Robbins on an aerial application flight, and was being operated by Tolle's Flying Service, Inc. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that the rudder post broke on his first application run. This resulted in loss of flight control which caused the airplane to drag a wing tip and cartwheel into the ground.
During a postflight inspection of the rudder assembly, it was noted that the rudder post was extensively oxidized (rusted) in the area of the break point. There were also rust deposits on approximately 1/3 of the circumference of the parting surfaces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31785
- Reported as
- Schweizer G164D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9D
- Airframe hours
- 5,906
- Engine
- P&W PT6=34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Tolle'S Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1997 · 264 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · 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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 36,700 total · 18,100 in this make and model · 36,650 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAC, 18 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.