Schweizer G-164B N3626T

Summary

On 12 February 2009 at about 16:15 local time, a Schweizer G-164B registered N3626T, operated by Vince Crop Dusters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Buttonwillow, California, 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

12 February 2009 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Buttonwillow, California, United States

Coordinates

35.3992, -119.4742

Aircraft

Schweizer G-164B

Registration

N3626T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Vince Crop Dusters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Buttonwillow → Buttonwillow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA114

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to the number four cylinder base nuts becoming loose, allowing the cylinder to detach from the engine case. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impaired visibility due to smoke during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route to an agriculture application job, the airplane's engine exhaust started shaking, then smoke started coming off the engine. The pilot landed on a farm road. During the landing his visibility was limited by the smoke, and the right wheel went off the road into soft mud. The airplane swerved to the right and nosed over. Examination of the engine disclosed that the number four cylinder base nuts had backed off, allowing the cylinder to separate from the engine case.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.