Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A N8380

Summary

On 27 May 2012 at about 15:15 local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A registered N8380, operated by Harding, Harry Nelson, was involved in an accident near Wilton, 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

27 May 2012 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Wilton, California, United States

Nearest airport

Clarksburg (PVT)

Coordinates

38.3378, -121.2356

Aircraft

Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A

Registration

N8380

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harding, Harry Nelson

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clarksburg → Wilton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA233

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the hopper gate mechanism and subsequent sulfur fire during a low-level maneuver.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had just completed an aerial application of sulfur dust over a vineyard when the hopper gate closing mechanism failed as he attempted to stop the flow. The sulfur continued to flow from the hopper, so he initiated a steep turn to keep the dust within the confines of the vineyard. As he rolled out of the turn, the plume of sulfur ignited and a fire began within the hopper. He performed a forced landing into a residential driveway and the airplane sustained substantial damage during the ground roll. The airplane was configured to minimize the hazards of inadvertent fire during sulfur dusting operations; however, the evasive flight maneuver performed by the pilot may have brought the uninterrupted flow of sulfur dust into contact with hot engine exhaust. An alternative ignition source may also have been provided by a spark from the failed gate mechanism. The gate mechanism sustained thermal damage, which prevented an accurate assessment of its failure mode.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.