Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stotesbury, Missouri 64752
Thursday, July 3, 2008 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About one hour after takeoff the agricultural airplane's engine lost partial power. Unable to maintain level flight, the pilot elected to land in a corn field. During landing the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Moments later the airplane was engulfed in a postcrash fire. An examination of the engine revealed that the partial loss of engine power was due to a fracture in the number eight cylinder barrel, below the spark plug holes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fracture of the engine's number eight cylinder barrel resulting in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Stotesbury
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64752
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 380525N
Event Location Longitude 0943502W
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 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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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) 24924
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 18 2009 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Kansas City, Missouri

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N520Y
NTSB Number DFW08LA178
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 157
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 5 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5600
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dennis M Grainger
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Adrian
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64720
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Dennis M Grainger
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Adrian
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 64720
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
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 No
Departure Airport Code NVD
Departure City Nevada
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
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 USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 8 2009 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record lebt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --