Vineland-Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vineland, New Jersey 08360
Tuesady, May 14, 1996 9:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After performing a number of previous aerial application flights, the airplane was loaded with a chemical pesticide, and the pilot initiated a takeoff from runway 20. Immediately after liftoff, the engine began missing, smoking, and backfiring violently. When the pilot was not able to maintain airspeed, he dropped the 207 gallons of pesticide, and made a forced landing straight ahead in a freshly plowed field. During the landing, the main gear sank into the topsoil, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed that the number eight cylinder head was cracked open from the forward spark plug boss to the rear spark plug boss, and the crack had progressed down to the cylinder barrel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the number 8 cylinder, which resulted in loss of engine power, a forced landing in soft terrain, and subsequent nose over of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/14/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VINELAND
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08360
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VINELAND-DOWNTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 28N
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 200
Airport Elevation 120
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 947 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID PHL
Elevation of weather observation facility 21
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 562
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 14 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6620Q
NTSB Number NYC96LA105
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 Grumman-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1693
Certified Max Gross Weight 6075
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 17 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 2510
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOWNTOWN AIRPORT INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 339 HARDING HIGHWAY
Aircraft Owner City VINELAND
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08360
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 MWRG
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 28N
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 944
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 Emergency 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 20
Runway Length 2230
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --