Savannah International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savannah, Georgia 31412
Thursday, June 2, 1994 17:16 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT REPORTED A VIBRATION IN THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY. HE CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF PROCEDURE BUT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BEFORE DISPENSING OR DUMPING THE 1500 POUNDS OF CHEMICALS. AT TOUCHDOWN THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY COLLAPSED AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS IT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MATERIAL FAILURE OR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT HAD NOT MADE A LANDING WITH THE AIRPLANE IN A HEAVY OR LOADED CONFIGURATION WITHIN THE LAST TWENTY FOUR MONTHS. THE OPERATOR HAD NO FORMAL EMERGENCY DUMP POLICY TO PREVENT LANDING WITH CHEMICALS ONBOARD DURING AN EMERGENCY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE OPERATORS FAILURE TO PROVIDE A FORMAL EMERGENCY DUMP PROCEDURE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1716
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SAVANNAH
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31412
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAVANNAH INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 40
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 40
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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) 871
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:25AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9868
NTSB Number ATL94GA111
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1296
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 Jan 19 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 3446
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHATHAM COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 8324
Aircraft Owner City SAVANNAH
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31412
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
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Landing
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 9
Runway Length 9351
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --