Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Campo, Texas 77437
Saturday, May 7, 1994 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED DURING INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWER LINES, AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED, AND WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER; HOWEVER, TESTING OF THE MAGNETOS REVEALED THAT ONE WAS WEAK AND THE OTHER WAS ARCING INSIDE ITS CASE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO ONE MAGNETO BEING WEAK AND THE OTHER MAGNETO ARCING INSIDE ITS CASE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EL CAMPO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77437
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 155
Weather Observation Facility ID PSX
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 536
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:13AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9682
NTSB Number FTW94LA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1201
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 106
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRAYSON AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, BOX 249
Aircraft Owner City EDNA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77957
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 KAVG
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Takeoff
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --