Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Donaldsonville, Louisiana 70346
Saturday, July 29, 1989 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AG AIRPLANE HAD BEEN WORKING FOR 15 MINUTES WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT DUMPED THE LOAD, AND FIVE SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINE POWER RETURNED. THE PILOT CLIMBED THE AIRPLANE AND TURNED TOWARD THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. AT 300 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN, AND THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE FIELD HE HAD BEEN WORKING. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN HIGH SOYBEANS, AND ROLLED 85 FEET BEFORE THE PROPELLER DUG IN. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER TO THE INVERTED POSITION. NO REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DONALDSONVILLE
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70346
Event Date Year 1989
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 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 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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 28
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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) 1858
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41021
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8172K
NTSB Number FTW89DRD12
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 Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 600B
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 11 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 200
Airframe Hours 3539
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR FARM INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 247
Aircraft Owner City DONALDSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70346
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 SLNG
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 1710
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 10:35AM
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 --