- Date
- May 29, 2020, 14:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Maxwell, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9716Grumman G164
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Case key
- 101352
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 delayed decision to abort the takeoff when the airplane was not attaining sufficient airspeed for takeoff and subsequently departed the end of the runway and collided with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and planning and decision to takeoff with a tailwind.
Findings · 6
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 after loading the airplane with 2000 lbs. of sulfate and topping off with fuel in preparation for the aerial application flight, he began the takeoff roll on the 2,000 ft long airstrip with a tailwind. The pilot realized that he was in trouble and needed more airspeed, so he applied full available power as there was now insufficient runway remaining to abort the takeoff and safely stop. The airplane subsequently collided with a berm at the end of the airstrip and became airborne for a short distance before the pilot forced landed the airplane in a rice field. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The wings and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot added that he should have evaluated the weight, wind direction, and density altitude in relation to the performance capability of the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after loading the airplane with 2000 lbs. of sulfate and topping off with fuel in preparation for the aerial application flight, he began the takeoff roll on the 2,000 ft long airstrip with a tailwind. The pilot realized that he was in trouble and needed more airspeed, so he applied full available power as there was now insufficient runway remaining to abort the takeoff and safely stop. The airplane subsequently collided with a berm at the end of the airstrip and became airborne for a short distance before the pilot forced landed the airplane in a rice field. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The wings and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot added that he should have evaluated the weight, wind direction, and density altitude in relation to the performance capability of the airplane. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9716
- Reported as
- Grumman G164 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1236
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 9,903.5
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Moller Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Moller Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 24, 2020
- Departed
- 8CL6 · Maxwell, CA
- Destination
- 8CL6 · Maxwell, CA
- Airport
- 8CL6 · Moller, runway N, 1,700 × 75 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- Satellite tracking device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,593.6 total · 1,250.5 in this make and model · 3,483 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 595 KB in all.