Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vanndale, Arkansas 72387
Friday, May 17, 1991 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING LOADED BY AN UNSUPERVISED HELPER WHO WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH WEIGHT LIMITATIONS OF THE AIRPLANE. THE HELPER FILLED THE HOPPER TO THE TOP. THE PILOT DID NOT CHECK HIS LOAD PRIOR TO TAKEOFF NOR DID HE ATTEMPT TO COMPUTE A WEIGHT AND BALANCE. THE LOAD IN THE HOPPER RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE BEING OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. FOLLOWING THE TAKEOFF AND DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO ESTABLISH A NORMAL CLIMB RATE AND THE PILOT LANDED IN A CULTIVATED FIELD AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SANK INTO THE SOFT EARTH AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO VERIFY HIS WEIGHT AND BALANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City VANNDALE
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72387
Event Date Year 1991
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 3500
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 692
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44676
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8106K
NTSB Number FTW91DPG04
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 567B
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BURNETTE FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 1152
Aircraft Owner City WYNNE
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72369
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NORMAN L. BURNETTE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1017 BRIDGES
Operator City WYNNE
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72369
Operator Code KOCG
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 1430
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --