Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nyssa, Idaho 97913
Thursday, July 22, 2004 20:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an aerial application run, the pilot heard a loud bang, and the engine suddenly lost a significant amount of power. Because the aircraft did not have enough power to remain airborne, the pilot elected to execute a forced landing in a nearby agricultural field. Although the initial touchdown was uneventful, the main gear of the aircraft dug into the soft terrain, leading to a main gear collapse and a nose-over of the aircraft. It was ultimately determined that while the aircraft was in flight, the number four cylinder head had fractured near where the cylinder head was screwed into the cylinder barrel, and the fracture was of such a nature that it kept the cylinder from developing the compression necessary for detonation of the fuel/air mixture.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure (fracture) of the number four cylinder head during an aerial application run. Factors include the soft crop-covered terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Nyssa
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97913
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435313N
Event Location Longitude 1170501W
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 Unknown
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17230
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2110
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 4 2005 7:34AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Boise FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7220
NTSB Number SEA04LA139
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 896
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mid Contineint Aircraft
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 1
Aircraft Owner City Hayti
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63851
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Donald L. Taylor
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 694
Operator City Emmett
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 83617
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 --
Departure City Nyssa
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --