- Date
- April 18, 1996, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Edison, GA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4238Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 3, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960418007839A
- Case key
- 38008
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 mounting studs for the No. 4 cylinder, which resulted in separation of the cylinder and loss of engine power. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
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 an aerial application flight, the studs for the No. 4 cylinder failed, and the cylinder separated from the engine. All engine power was lost. While making a forced landing in a field, the aircraft nosed over.
Factual narrative
On April 18, 1996, about 1800 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G164A, N4238, registered to and operated by Sowega Flying Service, nosed over while making a forced landing in a field near Edison, Georgia, following loss of engine power, while on a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated from the Sowega Air Strip, Edison, Georgia, about 20 minutes before the accident.
The pilot stated that during an aerial application run the mounting studs for the No. 4 cylinder failed and the cylinder separated from the engine. The engine lost all power. While making a forced landing in a plowed field, the aircraft nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4238
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1006
- Airframe hours
- 4,915
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Sowega Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 2, 1996 · 100 hours before
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 21,000 total · 11,000 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABY, 30 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.
Other investigations on N4238 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.