Central Valley Aviation Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buxton, North Dakota 58218
Tuesady, May 25, 1999 18:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said the engine began to run rough during cruise. Then the engine blew smoke and oil and the windshield became covered with oil. The pilot turned the airplane towards the airport. On the approach to runway 09, the pilot had no visibility through the oil and the airplane had run off a road leading to the runway's centerline and an embankment in the safety area before the approach end of runway 09 during his forced landing. The airplane came to rest inverted next to the embankment. The number one cylinder head was found separated from its cylinder and was inspected. The inspection revealed no indications of preexisting cracks in the cylinder head. The separation occurred in the combustion dome between the cylinder head and the screw on cylinder barrel. The cylinder head revealed marks and dents consistent with piston ring or piston crown contact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the number one cylinder's separation, the pilot's visual lookout not possible through the oil given off by the number one cylinder, and the embankment. A factor in the accident was the oil.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BUXTON
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58218
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CENTRAL VALLEY AVIATION
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NA81
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 920
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 343
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 844
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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) 745
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1455
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6524K
NTSB Number CHI99LA162
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-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 352B
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 May 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 4994
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOUR J'S CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2016 4TH AVENUE N
Aircraft Owner City GRAND FORKS
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CENTRAL VALLEY AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 146
Operator City BUXTON
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58218
Operator Code TFOG
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 NA18
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
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 Cruise
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 9
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 20
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --