# NTSB SEA96LA068: Schweizer G-164B, N3632T, Point Of Rocks, WY, March 13, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 13, 1996, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Point Of Rocks, WY - Coordinates: 41.680259, -108.780059 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6803&lon=-108.7801&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report December 20, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42345 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA96LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42345/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA96LA068 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors relating to the accident were: the low ceiling and snow. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - snow (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The accident pilot was flying in formation with two other airplanes on a ferry flight. All three airplanes were restricted category agricultural aircraft that were being ferried from Missouri to Idaho. The pilots were on a day-VFR cross-country flight in preparation for a season of agricultural spraying. They encountered a localized area of low ceilings, reduced visibility, and snow during a final leg of the flight, and they began to follow an interstate highway. One of the pilots reversed course and landed uneventfully at an airport. Another pilot landed on a highway. The pilot of the accident airplane strayed away from the interstate and entered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Subsequently, the accident airplane entered a steep descent and crashed in a nose-down attitude. There was evidence that the engine was operating at a high power setting, when the airplane crashed. The aircraft was not equipped for flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). No preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane or its engine was found. ## Factual narrative On March 13, 1996, about 1200 mountain standard time, N3632T, a Schweizer G-164B airplane, registered to Ken Spray, Inc, Twin Falls, Idaho, collided with terrain during an uncontrolled descent and was destroyed near Point of Rocks, Wyoming. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The ferry flight departed Laramie, Wyoming, and was destined for Rock Springs, Wyoming. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from Salt Lake City, Utah, the airplane was flying with two other airplanes immediately prior to the accident. All three airplanes were being ferried to Idaho from Missouri in preparation for a season of agricultural spraying. According to authorities from the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Department in Rock Springs, the airplanes encountered "a blizzard" while flying "low" over Interstate 80. One of the airplanes turned back and landed uneventfully in Rawlings, Wyoming. Another airplane continued on to land uneventfully on a highway near Rock Springs, Wyoming. The accident airplane strayed away from the interstate and was later found about 1.5 miles north of the interstate. According to the operator of the airplane, who was flying one of the three airplanes, the flight of three departed from Laramie about 1100. The airplanes encountered worsening weather conditions after passing Rawlings. The operator stated that he "got committed and could not turn around." He followed the interstate, with the accident pilot flying behind him. The airplanes were not in radio communications with each other. The operator did not report any knowledge of any mechanical malfunctions with the accident airplane prior to the flight. The wreckage was examined at the accident site by an FAA aviation safety inspector from Salt Lake City on March 14, 1996. According to the inspector, the airplane was found in about at 90-degree nose-down attitude and was destroyed. The engine was buried into the ground. The engine tachometer read 2,800 revolutions per minute, and the engine manifold pressure gauge read 32 inches of mercury. No evidence of an in-flight structural failure, fire or explosion was found. An additional examination of the airframe and engine occurred on April 10, 1996, after the wreckage had been removed. The examination was performed by an FAA certified airframe and powerplant mechanic employed at the Rawlings Airport, under the direction of the Safety Board. According to the mechanic, no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were found during the inspection. The airplane was manufactured in 1985 and had just been purchased by the operator. It was not equipped for flight into IMC. An examination of the airplane's maintenance records did not reveal any indications of unresolved discrepancies. The pilot, age 42, held an FAA commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane. According to the operator, the pilot had logged about 4,117 hours of total flight time, including 48 hours of instrument flight time. No evidence was found to indicate that the pilot had accumulated any instrument flight time during the 90 days prior to the accident. An autopsy on the pilot was performed by Dr. Francis J. Hatch, M.D., of the Sweetwater County Coroner's Office, Rock Springs, on March 14, 1996. A toxicological analysis (report attached) of specimens taken from the pilot was performed by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3632T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3632T), registered now, S/N 772B, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schweizer G-164B - Registry model: [Schweizer G-164B](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-g-164b) (registry code 8059055) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney TW-S1-S3-S4](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-tw-s1-s3-s4) (registry code 52019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 772B - Airframe hours: 2420 - Engines: P&W R-1340-AN1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ken Spray, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 28, 1996, 10 hours before - Departed: LAR, LARAMIE, WY - Destination: RKS, ROCK SPRINGS, WY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; toxicology performed; flight hours: 4,117 total, 2,499 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 15 knots - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft overcast - Temperature: 36 °F ## 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 19960313007349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960313007349A), Mar 13, 1996: Scwzer G164B, Point Of Rocks, WY, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Flight of 3 VFR ferry. Encountered blizzard following I80. Turned back on other landed on hiway. 3rd lost control. ## Other investigations on N3632T (3) 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. - [NTSB SEA06CA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06CA123), Jun 17, 2006: Schweizer G-164B (N3632T), Murtaugh, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive brake application during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over. - [NTSB SEA01LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA156), Aug 22, 2001: Schweizer G-164B (N3632T), Twin Falls, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: Nose over during the landing roll for undetermined reasons. - [NTSB FTW86LRD23](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW86LRD23), Aug 14, 1986: Grumman G-164B (N3632T), Lecompte, LA, substantial damage 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.