Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wilmot, Arkansas 71676
Sunday, August 10, 1997 19:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Pilot initiated a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. Examination revealed a fractured throttle cable due to excessive wear & fatigue cracking. The fractured area of the cable was not accessible for inspection due to its location within the cable housing. The 1965 aircraft had accumulated 10,001.96 hours. No evidence was found that the throttle cable had ever been replaced. Mid-afternoon, the pilot felt nauseated; however, he continued the aerial application flights. A land owner found the airplane upside down in a cotton field and called 911. Seat belt/shoulder harness was not worn. Autopsy results indicated the pilot's cause of death as 'acute thrombosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery complicated by multiple injuries sustained in the accident. The pathologists reported that the autopsy demonstrated evidence of compressional asphyxia.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to a fractured throttle cable because the cable housing prevents an inspection of the cable by maintenance personnel. Factors were the pilot's impairment due to a heart attack, the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing, and the pilot's failure to use the seat belt/shoulder harness.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WILMOT
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71676
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 8
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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) 1644
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N634U
NTSB Number FTW97FA304
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
Aircraft Model G-164
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164
Aircraft Serial Number 370
Certified Max Gross Weight 3750
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 19 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 10035
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J & J SALVAGE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT3 BOX 24
Aircraft Owner City LAKE PROVIDENCE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71254
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILMOT AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HIGHWAY 165 SOUTH
Operator City WILMOT
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 71676
Operator Code ZGNG
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --