Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Springs, Nebraska 69122
Monday, July 30, 2012 15:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot adjusted the engine controls of the agricultural airplane for cruise flight. The airplane’s engine then lost power, and the pilot conducted a forced landing in a corn field. The airplane’s engine had previously been converted to another version of the engine. As a result of the conversion, the airplane had a different throttle quadrant; the engine controls were reversed from the previous propeller and mixture layout. The pilot reported that he inadvertently shut the engine off while adjusting the engine for cruise flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power as a result of the pilot inadvertently shutting the engine off. Contributing to the accident was the modification to the engine control layout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/2012
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Big Springs
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 69122
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
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 None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 38
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) 30868
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 Jan 2 2013 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6676Q
NTSB Number CEN12LA497
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 197B
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 28 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 8818
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name McClung Aerial Spraying
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Big Springs
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 69122
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name McClung Aerial Spraying
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Big Springs
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 69122
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Big Springs
Departure State NE
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Big Springs
Destination State NE
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2012 12:53PM
User who most recently changed record linj-i
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --