NTSB Identification: CEN12LA440
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Friday, July 13, 2012 in Darksville, MO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 02/12/2013
Aircraft: GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G-164A, registration: N6846Q
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The aerial application airplane was observed impacting a tree along the edge of the field being sprayed. Clean, freshly cut branches were noticed in the tree and freshly broken tree branch fragments were located along the impact trail. Examination of the airframe, engine and propeller did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot did not maintain clearance from a tree line at the completion of an agricultural spray run.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 13, 2012 about 1130 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N6846Q, operated by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during an agricultural spraying operation when it struck a tree and impacted in a field near Darksville, Missouri. A post-impact fire ensued. The pilot was fatally injured. The aerial application flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight. The local flight departed Omar N Bradley Airport (KMBY), Moberly, Missouri at an undetermined time.
A witness reported that the airplane made several spray passes over a cornfield with a line of trees near the edge of the field. After the last spray pass the witness observed the airplane strike a tree.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot, age 36, held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land and instrument rating. On June 14, 2011, the pilot was issued a third-class medical certificate. At the time of the medical examination the pilot reported having 650 hours of flight experience with 15 hours in the last six months.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The accident airplane was a 1977 Grumman Aircraft G-164A and was equipped with a Pratt Whitney R-985 engine. The airplane was issued a restricted airworthiness certificate on September 20, 1977. ‘Maybee Air’ Limited Liability Corporation, owned by the pilot, purchased the airplane on December 25, 2011. An annual inspection was performed by the pilot on July 1, 2012.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
The closest weather station was at Viertel Memorial Airport (KVER), Boonville, Missouri, located about 35 nautical miles south of the accident site. The airport was equipped with an automated weather observing system (AWOS).
At 1135, the KVER AWOS reported the following weather conditions: wind 250 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 34 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 15 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.03 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The accident site was located in an open field adjacent to the field being sprayed, with a line of trees separating these two fields. Fresh limb breaks were present on the highest tree between the two fields and freshly broken tree limb fragments were located on the ground between the line of trees and the accident site.
All flight control surfaces were accounted for and flight control continuity was confirmed at the accident site. The engine crank case was cracked in multiple locations, which prevented rotation and continuity checks of the engine. Chordwise scoring and bending of the propeller was noted at the accident site. Examination of the airframe, engine and propeller did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
On July 16, 2012, an autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Boone/Callaway County Medical Examiner’s office. The cause of death was attributed to blunt force injuries. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on the pilot. No carbon monoxide or cyanide was detected in blood, no ethanol was detected in vitreous, and no drugs were detected in the urine.
NTSB Identification: CEN12LA440
14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Friday, July 13, 2012 in Darksville, MO
Aircraft: GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G-164A, registration: N6846Q
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 13, 2012 about 1200 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N6846Q, was substantially damaged during agricultural spraying operations near Darksville, Missouri. The pilot was fatally injured. A post impact fire ensued. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 operating under a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 certificate holder. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the flight.
The local flight departed Bradley Airport, Missouri (KMBY) at an undetermined time. During spray operations, the airplane collided with a tree, and subsequently impacted an adjacent field. The airplane was substantially damaged and the fuselage was consumed by a post-impact fire.
FAA IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 6846Q Make/Model: G164 Description: G-164 Ag-Cat, Super Ag-Cat
Date: 07/13/2012 Time: 1630
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: DARKSVILLE State: MO Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, STRUCK A TREE AND CRASHED, THE 1 PERSON
ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, 2 MILES FROM DARKSVILLE, MO
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 1
# Crew: 1 Fat: 1 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Aerial Application Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: KANSAS CITY, MO (CE05) Entry date: 07/16/2012
Plane draped with blue tarp soon after crash near Darksville, MO.
Smoke arises above crash site.
Moberly, Mo. — The Moberly Monitor-Index received a call at approximately 11:30 a.m. Friday reporting a small plane had crashed around Darksville located north of Huntsville, MO.
MMI staff member Atina Roberts arrived on the scene to find a plane crash fatality.
Crop dusting is a frequent means of spraying crops in mid-Missouri and the small plane was being used to spray corn on property owned by Circle A Ranch.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Randolph County Ambulance, Huntsville Fire Department, Sheriff Mark Nichols, and the Randolph County Coroner Gerald Luntsford were on the scene.
Smoke was still rising from the cornfield. The (yellow) plane was covered with a blue tarp at the time of the photo. The pilot’s name had not been released by 4:25 p.m. Friday.
Source: http://www.moberlymonitor.com
A pilot died Friday in Randolph County when a crop-duster crashed into a cornfield.
The 11:30 a.m. incident happened just north of Huntsville near the small community of Darkville, Randolph County sheriff Mark Nichols said. The name of the pilot has not been released.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and found the crop-duster on fire. A witness told deputies the small plane appeared to have clipped the top of a tree, causing it to lose control and crash to the ground, Nichols said.
The plane is believed to have had a direct and sudden impact with the ground, Nichols said. It appears the plane only skidded about 15 yards across the field.
The crop-dusting plane was stationed in Dalton in Chariton County, but the sheriff's department had not yet confirmed the name of the flying service. The pilot is believed to have been in his 30s. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Randolph County Coroner's Office.
Source: http://www.columbiatribune.com
A crop duster plane has crashed in north-central Missouri, killing the pilot. The crash took place yesterday morning in Randolph County when the small plane crashed into a corn field north of Huntsville. The Randolph County Sheriff says the victim's name hasn't been released.
HUNTSVILLE, Mo. -- A crop duster plane has crashed in north-central Missouri, killing the pilot.
The crash occurred Friday morning in Randolph County when the small plane fell into a corn field north of Huntsville.
Randolph County Sheriff Mark Nichols said the victim's name hasn't been released. A witness told deputies the small plane appeared to have clipped a tree top before crashing., Nichols said.
The crop-dusting plane was stationed in Chariton County, but the sheriff's department hasn't confirmed the name of the flying service.
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