O'brien Flying Service Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Iowa, Louisiana 70647
Thursday, May 7, 2009 15:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During initial takeoff from a private airfield, the single-engine agricultural airplane experienced a substantial loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll-out the airplane collided with a levy, nosed over, and caught fire. The pilot was able to egress the airplane uninjured before the airplane was consumed by the postimpact fire. The airplane had been fully fueled and loaded with applicant. An inspection of the engine revealed that the Number 8 cylinder assembly cracked through the spark plug holes, resulting in the cylinder head separating from the barrel in flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A partial loss of engine power due to the Number 8 cylinder head cracking and separating from the barrel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Iowa
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70647
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 301327N
Event Location Longitude 0930000W
Event Location Airport O'Brien Flying Service Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LA71
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 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 259
Weather Observation Facility ID CWF
Elevation of weather observation facility 17
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KCWF 072050Z 16011KT 10SM SCT028 BKN042 30/2
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) 25594
NTSB Notification Source Baton Rouge FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 20 2009 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8080K
NTSB Number CEN09CA283
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GULFSTREAM-SCHWEIZER A/C CORP
Aircraft Model GULFSTREAM
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 554 B
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 Mar 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 13410
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name O BRIEN FLYING SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO DRAWER 607
Aircraft Owner City IOWA
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70647
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name O BRIEN FLYING SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO DRAWER 607
Operator City IOWA
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 70647
Operator Code --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code LA71
Departure City Iowa
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LA71
Destination City Iowa
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 11 2009 9:18AM
User who most recently changed record aguj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --