- Date
- May 20, 1990, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Bald Knob, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8852HGrumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900520016829A
- Case key
- 34983
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 powerplant failure for undetermined causes. Contributing factor was unsuitable terrain.
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
Shortly after takeoff, during an aerial application operation, the commercial plt said that he noticed an engine vibration and loss of power. He dumped his load and attempted to return to the airport, but was unable, so attempted an emergency ldg in a rain soaked wheat field, and nosed over. Post accident investigation failed to reveal any fuel contamination or mechanical failure/malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8852H
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1546
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Bald Knob Air Service
- Registered owner
- Smith Flying & Spreader Svc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Airport
- NONE
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
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,100 total · 4,500 in this make and model · 7,600 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JBR, 20 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.