- Date
- June 13, 2010, 10:47 local (17:47 UTC)
- Place
- Courtland, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6726QGrumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 21, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Sacramento FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100613048789A
- Case key
- 76307
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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain during low-altitude maneuvers.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during an aerial application flight he was established and stable on an east-to-west spray pass. He recalls checking the pump pressure gauge for an indication of an empty load when he felt and heard a “significant slam” and felt a grinding sensation. The airplane had impacted level terrain and came to rest upside down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the tail assembly. The pilot reported that there were no known mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during an aerial application flight he was established and stable on an east-to-west spray pass. He recalls checking the pump pressure gauge for an indication of an empty load when he felt and heard a “significant slam” and felt a grinding sensation. The airplane had impacted level terrain and came to rest upside down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the tail assembly. The pilot reported that there were no known mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6726Q
- Reported as
- Grumman Acft ENG Cor-Schweizer G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 237B
- Airframe hours
- 6,000
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Walter Avery, doing business as Harding Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Harding Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 1, 2010
- Departed
- Clarksburg, CA
- Destination
- Clarksburg, CA
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
- 52
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2010
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,990 total · 206 in this make and model · 1,760 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 59 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAC, 11 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 460 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.