Grumman G-164A N9828

Summary

On 22 July 2007 at about 15:25 local time, a Grumman G-164A registered N9828 was involved in an accident near Moline, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 2007 at 15:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Moline, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Grumman G-164A

Registration

N9828

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Davenport → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI07LA221

1 person was seriously injured.

Fatigue failure of the engine cylinder during cruise flight resulting in a loss of engine power. Additional causes were the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and the resulting inadvertent stall during the forced landing. A contributing factor was the airplane's low altitude at the time of the loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that 15 minutes into the flight the airplane began to lose airspeed. The flight was 300 to 500 feet above ground level en route to the assigned spray field at the time. He noted that although he was at full throttle, the airplane continued to lose airspeed. He subsequently observed oil on the right side of the engine cowling. The pilot recalled banking left to avoid an interstate highway. He commented that the airplane "quit flying" just prior to the landing. The airplane came to rest upright in a corn field. A post impact fire consumed approximately one-half of the aircraft. A post accident inspection revealed that the number 3 engine cylinder head had separated into two sections. Examination of the fracture faces revealed features consistent with a fatigue failure. The failure initiated at the root of the cylinder head thread engaged with the uppermost barrel thread. Engine maintenance records indicated that the engine had accumulated approximately 7,495 hours total time, with about 615 hours since overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.