Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buckeye, Arizona 85326
Thursday, August 19, 2010 12:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had flown the airplane about 4.2 hours on the date of the accident with no discrepancies noted. During the accident takeoff, the pilot noted normal acceleration, engine indications, and tail liftoff. After completing 2/3 of the takeoff roll, the engine rpm increased to 2,600-2,700 (the maximum allowable is 2,550 rpm). The pilot felt a moderate-to-severe vibration and immediately initiated procedures for an aborted takeoff. He retarded the throttle to idle, applied maximum braking, and held the control stick full aft. As the airplane slowed to 20-30 knots, he steered the airplane away from a fence at the end of the runway onto hard packed desert terrain. After rolling a short distance, the left main landing gear encountered a depression in the terrain and sheared off. The airplane settled onto the left wing and was almost immediately engulfed in fire. Fire consumed the cabin and inboard wing areas, as well as the aft section of the engine, which exposed the gears in the accessory section. Fire consumed all accessories, including both magnetos. A postaccident examination of the engine could not determine a reason for the increase in rpm and vibration due to fire damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An increase in engine rpm and vibration, which resulted in an aborted takeoff and runway excursion. The reason for the increased engine rpm and vibration could not be determined because of postaccident fire damage.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Buckeye
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85326
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331654N
Event Location Longitude 1123016W
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 1155 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KBXK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1033
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) 29.81
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31761
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2013 6:03PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6607Q
NTSB Number WPR10LA413
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 139B
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 Aug 13 2010 12:00AM
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 CRAWFORD AVIATION SERVICES LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 965 US HIGHWAY 14
Aircraft Owner City OREGON
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53575-2826
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Crawford Aviation Services
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 965 US HIGHWAY 14
Operator City OREGON
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 53575-2826
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 --
Departure City Buckeye
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Buckeye
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 6 2013 6:03PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --