Grumman G 164D accident near Nicolaus, CA

On May 21, 2012, a Grumman G 164D (airplane) was involved in an accident near Nicolaus, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

May 21, 2012

Place

Nicolaus, CA

Aircraft

Grumman G 164D · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

38.915°N, 121.550°W

NTSB ID

20120521X11652

Official records · WPR12LA220

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 21, 2012, about 0637 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Grumman G-164D, N8267K, impacted terrain during an agricultural application flight near Nicolaus, California. Farm Air Flying Service, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 137. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local agricultural flight departed from Farm Air Service facility, Sacramento, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Witnesses saw the airplane make a low pass across a field, make a hard banking turn to return towards the field, and impact the ground. The operator reported that the pilot had departed from their base of operations 10 miles south of the accident site to apply 1,000 lbs of fertilizer to a rice field. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane came to rest right side up, and the nose of the airplane was partially submerged in the rice field. The airplane impacted the rice field in a nose-low wings level attitude. TESTS AND RESEARCHInvestigators examined the wreckage at Plain Parts, Sacramento, on September 27, 2012. The airframe and engine were examined with no mechanical anomalies identified that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a Satloc M3 GPS data logging system. The unit was recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder lab for downloading. A factual report is attached to the docket. The download shows the track of the accident airplane during the 1

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a low-altitude maneuver.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.