Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brule, Nebraska 69127
Thursday, July 29, 1993 7:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE FIRST PASS OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE STARTED TO BACKFIRE AND LOSE POWER. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE CORN FIELD HE WAS SPRAYING. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET TO THE END OF THE OPEN FIELD AS THE PILOT UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO TURN THE AIRPLANE BEFORE CROSSING A DIRT ROAD AND ENTERING A CORN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING HIT A POST HIDDEN BY TALL WEEDS AND GRASS AT THE END OF THE OPEN FIELD, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOUND ONE CYLINDER CRACKED FROM SPARKPLUG HOLE TO SPARKPLUG HOLE, WITH THE TOP OF THE CYLINDER SEPARATING COMPLETELY. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCITON WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ACCESSORIES WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT INCLUDE TOTAL FAILURE OF AN ENGINE CYLINDER, AND A HIDDEN OBSTRUCTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BRULE
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 69127
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 748 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 261
Weather Observation Facility ID SNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 4312
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 400
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 30
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) 1290
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8368
NTSB Number CHI93LA282
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 G164
Aircraft Series Identifier G164
Aircraft Serial Number 863
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 Jan 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 5620
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MC CLUNG, HAROLD
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1 BOX 51
Aircraft Owner City BIG SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 69122
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MC CLUNG, HAROLD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT 1 BOX 51
Operator City BIG SPRINGS
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 69122
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 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 --