Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albion, New York 14411
Friday, April 29, 2011 18:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane sustained a total loss of engine power during the aerial application flight. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to a nearby dirt field and conducted a forced landing. Before the airplane came to a full stop it nosed over in the soft soil, damaging the left wing and vertical section of the airplane. The engine was partially disassembled by the pilot/owner. Two bearings in the collector section of the supercharger were damaged and seized, and bearing debris was observed in the collector area. Once the collector was disconnected from the engine, the crankshaft and piston moved freely. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed no recent repairs related to the bearing failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A bearing failure in the engine’s supercharger section, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during flight. Contributing to the accident was the soft soil of the forced landing site.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/29/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Albion
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14411
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 431210N
Event Location Longitude 0781519w
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 30
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 728
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1854 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 52
Weather Observation Facility ID KBUF
Elevation of weather observation facility 728
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
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) 30372
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 18 2012 1:31PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N896X
NTSB Number ERA11LA290
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 451
Certified Max Gross Weight 4497
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 19 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 16683
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEUBER EDWARD P
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14411
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name STEUBER EDWARD P
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City NEW YORK
Operator State NY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 14411
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 9G6
Departure City Albion
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 9G6
Destination City Albion
Destination State NY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 18 2012 1:31PM
User who most recently changed record gots
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 --