Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buttonwillow, California 93206
Saturday, February 5, 2011 9:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was making a low aerial application pass over a field, dispensing smoke to determine wind direction and velocity. The airplane struck a 20-foot-high irrigation vent pipe, which was located in the field that he was working. He proceeded straight ahead and attempted a forced landing on a dirt road immediately next to the field because the engine was losing power. Upon touching down, the right main wheel encountered soft dirt and the airplane nosed over inverted, bending the engine mount and wrinkling the fuselage and vertical stabilizer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an irrigation vent pipe.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/5/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Buttonwillow
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93206
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352721N
Event Location Longitude 1193448W
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 954 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 510
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.26
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) 28196
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2011 6:26PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6725K
NTSB Number WPR11CA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 438B
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Slikker Flying Service Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bakersfield
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93312
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Slikker Flying Service Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Bakersfield
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93312
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Priv
Departure City Buttonwillow
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code Priv
Destination City Buttonwillow
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2011 6:13PM
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 --