Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164 N6674K

Summary

On 26 May 2017 at about 20:15 local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164 registered N6674K, operated by Richter Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Maxwell, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 May 2017 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Maxwell, California, United States

Coordinates

39.2861, -122.1850

Aircraft

Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164

Registration

N6674K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Richter Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Develan → Develan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA305

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to visually check the fuel quantity during the preflight inspection and ensure that sufficient fuel was onboard for the flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, a few minutes after takeoff for an agricultural application flight, while maneuvering to a field he intended to spray, the engine lost power and that he then attempted to land on a dirt road. He added that the airplane bounced on touchdown and "went off the road and struck a ditch." He further added that when the engine lost power, the fuel gauge indicated about half full. Postaccident, the pilot reported that the fuel gauge was "stuck in the middle," that he did not visually check the fuel quantity before flight, and that he had exhausted the fuel supply. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge stated, in part: Fuel Gauges The fuel quantity gauges indicate the amount of fuel measured by a sensing unit in each fuel tank and is displayed in gallons or pounds. Aircraft certification rules require accuracy in fuel gauges only when they read "empty." Any reading other than "empty" should be verified. Do not depend solely on the accuracy of the fuel quantity gauges. Always visually check the fuel level in each tank during the preflight inspection, and then compare it with the corresponding fuel quantity indication.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.