Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watson, Arkansas 71674
Friday, June 5, 1998 7:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While applying herbicide to a rice field, during the pull up at the end of a spray pass, the agricultural airplane's engine lost power. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane touched down in a field and rolled into a hedgerow of trees. Examination of the engine by a mechanic revealed a discontinuity in the propeller governor control. The threads on the push-pull rod which retain the rod end that bolts to the propeller governor were stripped, and the rod end had separated from the rod. According to the mechanic, the separation of the rod end probably resulted in the reported loss of engine power, since the governor is 'spring loaded' to a high pitch (low rpm) setting. No other discrepancies with the engine were noted, and it was placed on a test stand and ran 'with no problems.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The partial loss of engine power due to the disconnection of the propeller governor control as a result of the stripped threads on the propeller governor control push-pull rod. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WATSON
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71674
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 6
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 750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 295
Weather Observation Facility ID PBF
Elevation of weather observation facility 206
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 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) 743
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 8 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4007Y
NTSB Number FTW98LA259
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 Ayres
Aircraft Model S2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R
Aircraft Serial Number 2517R
Certified Max Gross Weight 4265
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 Feb 13 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 166
Airframe Hours 3595
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name P & D FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 206
Aircraft Owner City WATSON
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71674
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 DM7G
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 715
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --