John H Hooks Jr Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oak Ridge, Louisiana 71264
Friday, May 27, 2011 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor was demonstrating agricultural, low-altitude operations to the pilot. The instructor reported that he noticed a loss of engine power when making a turn; the airplane then descended and impacted the tops of several trees. The airplane fell nose first through the thick wooded canopy, coming to rest in the trees in a mostly nose-down attitude. The pilot reported that the instructor had been flying the airplane slowly while in wingover turns and that the stall light would regularly flicker on and off during the climbing turns. He added that the instructor did not increase the engine power setting before impact and that the airspeed was low immediately before the airplane impacted the trees. The instructor did not report using carburetor heat during his low-altitude operations but did report that he was operating at a reduced power setting. An examination of the airplane showed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although a carburetor icing probability chart indicated that an airplane operating in the ambient conditions at the time of the accident could expect a risk of carburetor icing while at cruise power and a serious risk of carburetor icing while at glide power, it is more likely that the airplane entered into an aerodynamic stall at an altitude too low for the pilot to recover based on the account given by the pilot.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Oak Ridge
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71264
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323835N
Event Location Longitude 0914907W
Event Location Airport John H Hooks Jr Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M79
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 11
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 83
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1435 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 328
Weather Observation Facility ID KBQP
Elevation of weather observation facility 168
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KBQP 271935Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 29/20 A2987 KB
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30842
NTSB Notification Source FAA 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 Dec 17 2012 2:39PM
User who most recently changed record bakd
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2LU
NTSB Number CEN11LA396
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
Aircraft Model G164
Aircraft Series Identifier A
Aircraft Serial Number 595B
Certified Max Gross Weight 6075
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 9750
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BARHAM BROTHERS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 200 N OAK STREET
Aircraft Owner City OAK RIDGE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71264
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BARHAM BROTHERS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2 ELLIS LANE
Operator City RAYVILLE
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 71269-7330
Operator Code B3BG
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 B3BG452W
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M79
Departure City Rayville
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M79
Destination City Rayville
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2012 9:54AM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --