Grumman-Schweizer G-164A N4598

Summary

On 16 August 2001 at about 21:15 local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164A registered N4598 was involved in an accident near Petersburg, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 2001 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Petersburg, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

41.8491, -98.0699

Aircraft

Grumman-Schweizer G-164A

Registration

N4598

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Neligh → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA286

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the engine cylinder, and the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the pilot. Factors were the low altitude and the muddy field.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during an aerial-application flight. The pilot reported, "While spraying at 6 [feet] AGL the engine began running rough and quit. I made an emergency landing in a muddy soybean field, sliding to a stop damaging the right lower wing and right landing gear." A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the number 8 cylinder head had separated from the cylinder barrel between the second and third cooling fins. This condition is identified in Pratt and Whitney Airworthiness Directive (AD) 78-08-07. The AD requires a recurring visual inspection of the cylinder at 150 hour or 100 hour intervals. Cylinders that had been ultrasonically tested prior to installation on the engine were to be inspected at 150 hour intervals. Cylinders that had not been ultrasonically tested prior to installation on the engine were to be inspected at 100 hour intervals . According to the aircraft maintenance records, the airplane had accumulated 99.8 hours time in service since the inspection was last performed. It is not known if the failed cylinder had been ultrasonically inspected.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.