Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harrisburg, Arkansas 72432
Monday, May 31, 1993 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE WITH A FULL LOAD OF PESTICIDES WAS EN ROUTE TO A FIELD TO BE SPRAYED WHEN THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED AND THE ENGINE CHIP DETECTOR ILLUMINATED. WITHIN SECONDS, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING TO A CULTIVATED FIELD. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A LEVEE RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE FIREWALL. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS THE RESULT OF FIRST STAGE PLANETARY SUNGEAR FAILURE DUE TO FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE REDUCTION GEAR ASSEMBLY DUE TO FATIGUE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HARRISBURG
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72432
Event Date Year 1993
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID JBR
Elevation of weather observation facility 262
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 450
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) 823
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6051F
NTSB Number FTW93LA171
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 SR2-T34
Aircraft Series Identifier SR2-T34
Aircraft Serial Number T34-193
Certified Max Gross Weight 9950
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEN GRUBBS AERO, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O BOX 391
Aircraft Owner City HARRISBURG
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72432
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 KRPG
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 1330
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --