Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Biggs, California 95917
Wednesday, May 5, 1993 7:02 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED AN AIRSTRIP TO BEGIN AN AERIAL APPLICATION OF RICE SEED ON ADJACENT FIELDS. AFTER DEPARTURE, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AT ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, WHILE EN ROUTE TO A FIELD. THEY REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE 'POP' AND SPUTTER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD, NEXT TO WATER COVERED FIELDS AND BORDERED BY AN IRRIGATION DITCH. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE INSIDE SLOPE OF A RAISED LEVEE AND NOSED OVER. A POST-CRASH FIRE ERUPTED AROUND THE ENGINE, WHICH WAS LIMITED TO THE ENGINE AREA. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER HAD FAILED AT THE TOP OF THE CYLINDER BARREL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 ENGINE CYLINDER. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR THE PILOT TO MAKE A SUCCESSFULL FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 702
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BIGGS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95917
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 652 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 323
Weather Observation Facility ID CIC
Elevation of weather observation facility 238
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 1090
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 5 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 806
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 N5249
NTSB Number LAX93LA200
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 164A
Aircraft Series Identifier 164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1131
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 Apr 15 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 6588
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLARENCE WILLIAMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3184 HAWKINS LANE
Aircraft Owner City BIGGS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95917
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAMS AG SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 474
Operator City BIGGS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95917
Operator Code NHWG
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 700
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --