- Date
- May 29, 1996, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Moscow, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N48559Schweizer G164B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 3, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960529011909A
- Case key
- 42375
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
inflight loss of an unsecured access plug from the engine crankcase, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and a forced landing. Factors relating to the accident were: hilly terrain, and foreign material (engine oil) on the windscreen which limited forward visibility.
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
The pilot reported that while conducting an agricultural aerial application flight, the windscreen suddenly became obscured by smoke and oil. Operating over hilly terrain with poor forward visibility through the windscreen, he attempted a forced landing on a ridge top. The airplane was substantially damaged in the forced landing. FAA inspectors who examined the airplane after the accident reported that they found an access plug missing from the front of the crankcase of the aircraft's Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 1996, at approximately 0930 Pacific daylight time, N48559, a Schweizer G-164B operated by Fountain Inc. of Moscow, Idaho, a 14 CFR 137 agricultural aircraft certificate holder, was substantially damaged in a forced landing following an engine malfunction while conducting a 14 CFR 137 agricultural aerial application flight near Moscow. The commercial pilot of the single-seat aircraft was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported: "While applying herbicide on wheat field...the windscreen suddenly became ob[s]cured by smoke and oil. Attempted landing on ridge top in hilly country while forward visibility was poor." FAA inspectors from Spokane, Washington who examined the aircraft wreckage after the accident reported that an access plug was missing from the front of the crankcase of the aircraft's Pratt & Whitney R-1340 radial engine. Photographs taken by the inspectors also showed oil staining on an aircraft component.
The operator did not furnish any information regarding the maintenance, service or inspection history of the aircraft or engine with his accident report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48559
- Reported as
- Schweizer G164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 73B
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Fountain Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Unknown
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 11,650 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 11,510 as pilot in command · 310 in the last 90 days · 110 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.