Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Boston, Illinois 61272
Saturday, August 6, 2005 20:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The agricultural spray airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain after a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot reported that he had finished spraying his last field for the day and was heading back to the airport when the engine lost power and oil pressure. Smoke began pouring into the cockpit. He reported that he was over a wooded area, but he managed to make a forced landing in a cornfield. The airplane impacted the terrain and skidded up on its nose. The inspection of the airplane revealed that one of the engine cylinders had failed. Aircraft records indicated that the 600 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-2 engine had accumulated 1,026 hours since the last overhaul. The engine had accumulated 157 hours since the last annual inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to a cylinder failure and the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City New Boston
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61272
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 411713N
Event Location Longitude 0910255W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID BRL
Elevation of weather observation facility 698
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMLI 070052Z AUTO 24005KT 10SM CLR 26/14 A30
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) 20031
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 8 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-Springfield FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9041M
NTSB Number CHI05LA220
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1703
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 157
Airframe Hours 10409
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Houston Ag Flying Service Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1968 Rivers Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Owensboro
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42301
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 HFTG
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code C00
Departure City ALEDO
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1900
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 16 2006 12:37PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --