- Date
- August 18, 2010, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Genesee, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8150KGulfstream-Schweizer A/C Gulfstream AM G-164B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA Spokane FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100818041289A
- Case key
- 77002
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 maneuvering.
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 spraying a mature wheat field along north-facing hillsides. As the pilot finished his last pass, he flew west along the steep hillsides. A strong gust of wind struck the airplane and the left wing dropped into the wheat. Subsequently, the airplane spun and cartwheeled in the wheat field before coming to a rest; the fuselage and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during an aerial application flight he was spraying a mature wheat field along north facing hillsides. As the pilot finished his last pass he flew west along the steep hillsides. A strong gust of wind struck the airplane and the left wing dropped into the wheat. Subsequently, the airplane spun and cartwheeled in the wheat field before coming to a rest; the fuselage and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8150K
- Reported as
- Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C Gulfstream AM G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 587B
- Airframe hours
- 12,603
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Fountain Flying Service LLC
- Registered owner
- Fountain Flying Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 14, 2010 · 300 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Genesee, ID
- Destination
- PVT · Genesee, ID
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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 21, 2010
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 7,600 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 7,600 as pilot in command · 350 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KLWS, 10 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 483 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.
Other investigations on N8150K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.