# NTSB MIA95LA132: Grumman G-164A, N35RA, Zellwood, FL, May 21, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 21, 1995, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC) - Place: Zellwood, FL - Coordinates: 28.730012, -81.60099 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7300&lon=-81.6010&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 31, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 37769 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA95LA132 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/37769/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA95LA132 ## Probable cause A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CLIMB CAPABILITY AFTER THE BANNER PICKUP FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - aircraft performance,climb capability - inadequate - load jettison - performed, pilot in command - Nose over, landing - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER PICKING UP AN AERIAL ADVERTISING BANNER, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 300 FEET, THEN IT STOPPED CLIMBING AND THE AIRSPEED BEGAN DECREASING. HE INCREASED ENGINE POWER, BUT THE AIRSPEED CONTINUED TO DECREASE AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. HE LOWERED THE NOSE AND DROPPED THE ADVERTISING BANNER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT STILL WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT FIELD; HOWEVER, WHILE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. DURING A POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, ENGINE ACCESSORIES AND PROPELLER, NO PRECRASH MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. ## Factual narrative On May 21, 1995, about 0950 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N35RA, registered to Robert S. Kafka, nosed over while making a forced landing following loss of engine power at Zellwood, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 aerial advertising flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the airline transport-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the aircraft and found the fuel tank to be full. He drained the fuel system sump drains. After takeoff from Crakes Farm Strip he returned to the strip and picked up an aerial advertising banner. During climbout from the banner pickup the aircraft reached about 300 feet at which time he noticed it was not climbing. He increased engine power; however, the aircraft would not maintain airspeed or climb. He lowered the aircraft's nose and dropped the banner. While making a forced landing in a soft field planted with celery, the aircraft nosed over. Postcrash examination of the engine, engine accessories, and propeller was performed by FAA inspectors. No evidence to indicate precrash failure or malfunction of the engine or propeller was noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35RA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35RA-2017-08-23), registration cancelled 2017-08-23, S/N 1382, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G-164A - Registry model: [Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-acft-eng-cor-schweizer-g-164a) (registry code 3952801) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1382 - Airframe hours: 7547 - Engines: P&W R-985-AN14B 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Night Hawk Aerial Adv. Inc. - Registered owner: Robert S. Kafka - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 21, 1995, 87 hours before ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 15,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 14,000 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: ORL, 24 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950521012139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950521012139A), May 21, 1995: Scwzer G164A, Zellwood, FL, Substantial damage. Poor climb performance after banner pickup. Dropped banner. Landed in celery field. Nosed over. No anomalies noted. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.