Thigpen Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bay Springs, Mississippi 39422
Friday, March 19, 1999 14:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was maneuvering at a low altitude spraying chemicals on a stand of trees, when the engine lost power. He selected an area for an off-airport forced landing. During the forced landing, the airplane collided with trees. The engine examination revealed an internal gearbox failure, and metal debris was found in the output housing at the forward scavenge strainer. There was also bearing remains recovered from the gearbox assembly. Examination of the fuel control drive train revealed that the intermediate gear had uncoupled from the dual idler gear and there was a bearing failure at the intermediate gear. The oil filter and chip detector were removed and both were contaminated with metal particles.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FUEL CONTROL DRIVE BEARING FAILURE AT THE INTERMEDIATE GEAR RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BAY SPRINGS
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39422
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport THIGPEN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 00M
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 145
Airport Elevation 351
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID PIB
Elevation of weather observation facility 162
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 990
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 224
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3629T
NTSB Number ATL99LA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 751B
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 9196
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAYNE'S FLYING SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 827
Aircraft Owner City PELAHATCHIE
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39145
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code ZM1G
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 00M
Departure City
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --