Summary
On April 23, 2011, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-schweizer G-164A (N8896H) was involved in an accident near Belhaven, NC. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance above crops while performing an aerial application flight.
The pilot stated that he had completed three or four passes of the aerial application flight before the accident. He said, he was coming into the field, was heavily loaded, and he felt the plane mush a little bit. He got his wheels and spray rig into the wheat and it kind of pulled him down. During the accident sequence, the engine separated from the airplane and the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the pilot, the performance and handling of the airplane were great and there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
This accident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA260. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N8896H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance above crops while performing an aerial application flight.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated that he had completed three or four passes of the aerial application flight before the accident. He said, he was coming into the field, was heavily loaded, and he felt the plane mush a little bit. He got his wheels and spray rig into the wheat and it kind of pulled him down. During the accident sequence, the engine separated from the airplane and the wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the pilot, the performance and handling of the airplane were great and there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA260