Staley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pullman, Washington 99163
Tuesady, June 14, 2011 19:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that the purpose of the agricultural flight was to spray a swath of field bordered by power lines. After making a pass, the pilot's attention was focused on a pole and he struck nearby power lines, which wrapped around the propeller. The pilot noticed a sudden loss in power and thought he could make it back to the airport. The engine then lost total power and the pilot initiated a forced landing in a field, resulting in a hard landing. The engine detached from the airplane and both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Pullman
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99163
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 493919N
Event Location Longitude 1170331W
Event Location Airport Staley 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 1800 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 235
Weather Observation Facility ID PUW
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KPUW 150053Z AUTO 25006KT 10SM CLR 19/02 A3010 RMK
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28604
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 11 2011 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record andj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8376K
NTSB Number WPR11CA261
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 675B
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 May 4 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 77
Airframe Hours 7617
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ken Meines Ranch Aero, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Palouse
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99161
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Ken Meines Ranch Aero, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Palouse
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99161
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 No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Staley Airstrip
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1828
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Staley Airstrip
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2011 5:35PM
User who most recently changed record stam
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 --