Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fergus Falls, Minnesota 56236
Thursday, July 19, 2012 20:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was spraying a large corn field when he saw a puff of white smoke come from the engine. He turned toward a road, but about half way through the turn, the engine lost all power. The pilot jettisoned the chemical load and landed in the corn field. Examination of the radial engine revealed the No. 2 cylinder head was cracked. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that a mandatory Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive that required a 100-hour visual inspection to prevent cylinder head cracking, had been complied with at the last annual inspection, but no entries were made that any cracks were observed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power due to a cracked No. 2 cylinder head.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Fergus Falls
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56236
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 461702N
Event Location Longitude 0960914W
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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) 31647
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2013 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4638
NTSB Number CEN12LA491
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 G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1071
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 Mar 17 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 9012
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEST CENTRAL AG-AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 178
Aircraft Owner City FERGUS FALLS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56538-0178
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name WEST CENTRAL AG-AIR INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 178
Operator City FERGUS FALLS
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 56538-0178
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 ETH
Departure City Wheaton
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Dumont
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 20 2013 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight --
Medical Flight --