Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rosalia, Washington 99170
Monday, May 5, 1997 18:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot-in-command departed the airport in a Grumman G-164A spray plane. En route to the destination field, and while overflying hilly terrain, the aircraft's tail wheel impacted the ground, followed by the main gear. The aircraft continued over an embankment, nosing over while crossing a paved road, before coming to rest and burning. There was no evidence that the pilot jettisoned the 2,040 pound herbicide load. Propeller slash marks early in the ground track indicated high engine RPM at the initial ground impact. Additionally, toxicological evaluation of samples from the pilot-in-command revealed 0.002 ug/ml of Tetrahydrocannabinol detected in blood, 0.08 ug/ml of Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid detected in blood, and 0.035 ug/ml of Tetrahydrocannabinol Carboxylic Acid detected in urine indicating fairly recent (within several hours) use of Marihuana.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain clearance with terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were, hilly terrain conditions and impairment due to recent use of marihuana.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ROSALIA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99170
Event Date Year 1997
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 1756 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID GEG
Elevation of weather observation facility 2372
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1566
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 6 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7926
NTSB Number SEA97LA099
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 812
Certified Max Gross Weight 3725
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 Mar 18 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 9063
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY E. DENTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 126
Aircraft Owner City ATHENA
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97813
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH F. DION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 363
Operator City GREENACRES
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99016
Operator Code PXXG
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 72S
Departure City
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Cruise
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 --