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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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April 25, 1998 · Grumman-Schweizer G-164B · N63E

Oberlin, LA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 25, 1998
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Oberlin, LA
Aircraft
Grumman-Schweizer G-164B
Tail Number
N63E
Operator
Kinder Ag Service
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
FTW98LA194

At the end of a pass to apply rice seed to a field, during the turn to reverse direction, the pilot lost control of the agricultural airplane. The airplane became inverted at an altitude of approximately 100 feet, and the pilot was unable to recover prior to ground impact. Winds reported by the pilot were from the southeast at 20 to 35 knots, and he commented that the accident could have been prevented by not flying with wind gusts greater than 35 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the gusty wind.

Full Narrative

On April 25, 1998, approximately 1100 central daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B agricultural airplane, was destroyed by ground impact and a post-crash fire following a loss of control while maneuvering near Oberlin, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Red River Ag Service of Alexandria, Louisiana, and operated by Kinder Ag Service of Kinder, Louisiana. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 137 local aerial application flight. According to the FAA inspector who examined the accident site, the airplane was applying rice seed to a field using north-south passes. The airplane impacted in a plowed field south of the field being seeded on a magnetic heading of approximately 300 degrees, "in a nose down attitude." The pilot reported that the airplane "became inverted in left turn at altitude of 75-100 feet, [and he was] unable to recover." He further reported that the wind was from the southeast at 20 to 35 knots and commented that the accident could have been prevented by not flying "with wind gusts greater than 35 kts." At 1051, reported winds at Lake Charles, Louisiana, located approximately 35 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, were from 180 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 21 knots.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:00 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftGrumman-Schweizer G-164B
Tail NumberN63E
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorKinder Ag Service
Operating RulePart 137
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsWalter · 601E-11 · Turboprop · 777
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 35 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind135° @ 20 kt, gusting 35 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data