Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Maxie, Louisiana 70526
Tuesady, May 23, 1989 14:08 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS BEING USED ON A FLT TO SPREAD FERTILIZER. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED IN AN AREA OF DENSE TREES NEAR THE EDGE OF A FIELD. THE 1ST IMPACT WITH TREES WAS AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 55' AGL, WHICH SHEARED OFF A 9' BRANCH FROM A TREE. THE ACFT CONTD 43' & HIT TREES AGAIN, ABOUT 31' AGL, & SHEARED OFF TWO 12' BRANCHES. IT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & CAME TO REST ABOUT 85' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS TRAVELING AT A MODERATE SPEED WHEN IT 1ST HIT THE TREES. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENG WAS OPERATING NORMALLY BEFORE IMPACT. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND, EXCEPT THAT CONTINUITY OF THE ENG SUPERCHARGER DRIVE WAS DISRUPTED; THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL WHETHER THE SUPERCHARGER CONTINUITY HAD FAILED BEFORE OR AFTER IMPACT. THE ACFT'S HOPPER WAS FULLY LOADED WITH FERTILIZER WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PRESENCE OF TREES NEAR THE FIELD WHERE FERTILIZER WAS TO BE DISPENSED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1408
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MAXIE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70526
Event Date Year 1989
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 5000
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1344
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1629
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39531
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48467
NTSB Number FTW89DRD03
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 SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1648
Certified Max Gross Weight 3700
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 Feb 23 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AEROHEAD CROPDUSTERS, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 575
Aircraft Owner City PORT BARRE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70577
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AEROHEAD CROPDUSTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 77
Operator City PORT BARRE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70577
Operator Code BDIG
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 No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City MAXIE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --