Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Walsh, Colorado 81090
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 6:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was spraying a corn field; as he was making an aerial application pass, a cylinder on the engine cracked and the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing in a nearby field. The airplane crossed a road at a speed of approximately 25 mph and the tail bounced up. After crossing the road, the main tires settled into soft earth and the airplane nosed over. In addition to a bent propeller and "minor top wing damage," the vertical stabilizer was crushed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total failure of a cylinder head assembly. Contributing to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 630
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Walsh
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81090
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 372100N
Event Location Longitude 1021500W
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 Dawn
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 24473
NTSB Notification Source NTSB ROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 7 2008 8:45AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7487
NTSB Number DEN08CA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Grumman
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 964
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 690
Airframe Hours 5821
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Doyles Ag Services LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 30
Aircraft Owner City Two Buttes
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81084
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Doyles Ag Services LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 30
Operator City Two Buttes
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 81084
Operator Code V8DG
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 --
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 NONE
Departure City Two Buttes
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Two Buttes
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2008 5:12PM
User who most recently changed record scoa
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --