Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Central City, Nebraska 68826
Wednesday, July 24, 2002 20:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplance collided with trees after encountering a downdraft. The pilot reported that he had just finished an aerial application flight, departed the field, and was climbing to return to the airport when the airplane encountered a downdraft. The pilot stated the airplane was at an altitude of 250 feet to 300 feet at the time. The pilot reported that the ceiling had decreased to approximately 800 feet during the flight. He reported, "I hit severe turbulence and a severe downdraft." He stated he added full power, but the airplane descended to an altitude of approximately 50 feet where the right wing struck cottonwood trees. The airplane then stalled and descended into a bean field. The pilot reported the fuel tank ruptured during the impact and a post crash fire ensued. The pilot reported on an NTSB Form 6120.1/2, "If I had left the field sooner instead of finishing my load I may have avoided the whole incident." Weather radar images and local obdervations show that thunderstorms were moving into the area at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot was not able to maintain clearance with the trees when the airplane encountered a downdraft at a low altitude. An additional cause was the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the approaching weather conditions. Factors associated with the accident were the downdraft and the trees which were contacted.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Central City
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68826
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 410700N
Event Location Longitude 0980302W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12400
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 816
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 4 2002 9:07AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Lincoln, NE FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5296
NTSB Number CHI02LA212
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman
Aircraft Model G-164
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 580
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 Jun 20 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 4442
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Larry T. Reineke
Aircraft Owner Street Address HC 81 Box 20A
Aircraft Owner City Burwell
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68823
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 07K
Departure City Central City
Departure State NE
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 07K
Destination City Central City
Destination State NE
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb - to cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 23 2002 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --