- Date
- May 4, 2011, 15:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Princeton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N716YGrumman G-164
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110504008959A
- Case key
- 78867
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 adequate airspeed while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 stated that he took off into a 15-mph headwind from a dirt strip with an 1,800-pound load of fertilizer. When the airplane was about 100 to 150 feet above ground level, he started turning into the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The airplane began to descend as he turned and he could not maintain altitude. He had insufficient altitude to release the full load before the airplane collided with the terrain. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he took off into a 15-mph head wind from a dirt strip with a 1,800 pound load of fertilizer. He climbed the airplane to around 100 to 150 feet above ground level (agl) and started the downwind turn. The airplane began to descend as he turned downwind and he could not maintain altitude. He had insufficient altitude to release all the load before the airplane collided with the terrain. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N716Y
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 278
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Jones Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Chuck Jones Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Princeton, CA
- Destination
- Princeton, CA
- 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
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- January 10, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 807 total · 83 in this make and model · 134 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KMVY, 37 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 600 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 N716Y · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.