Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ephrata, Washington 98823
Thursday, May 4, 2000 8:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while on a routine aerial application flight, engine oil began to appear on the aircraft's windscreen. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft's engine began to 'backfire and eventually quit'. The pilot executed a forced landing in an open field. During the landing roll-out, the aircraft encountered soft terrain and nosed over. Post-accident examination of the aircraft's engine revealed that the exhaust valve push rod on the number three cylinder had failed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Loss of engine power due to failure of the number three cylinder exhaust valve push rod. Soft terrain encountered during the landing roll-out was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/4/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City EPHRATA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98823
Event Date Year 2000
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 751 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID EPH
Elevation of weather observation facility 1276
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 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) 216
NTSB Notification Source FAA-REGIONAL OPS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date May 4 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8130K
NTSB Number SEA00LA082
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 Gulfstream-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 576 B
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 Apr 20 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 7800
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED W. MEISE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1661 ROAD 17.6 NW
Aircraft Owner City EPHRATA
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98823
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THE CROPDUSTER INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 WP26
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City COULEE CITY
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 11:29AM
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 --