VINELAND, NJ, USA
N6620Q
Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
After performing a number of previous aerial application flights, the airplane was loaded with a chemical pesticide, and the pilot initiated a takeoff from runway 20. Immediately after liftoff, the engine began missing, smoking, and backfiring violently. When the pilot was not able to maintain airspeed, he dropped the 207 gallons of pesticide, and made a forced landing straight ahead in a freshly plowed field. During the landing, the main gear sank into the topsoil, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed that the number eight cylinder head was cracked open from the forward spark plug boss to the rear spark plug boss, and the crack had progressed down to the cylinder barrel.
On May 14, 1996, at 0945 eastern daylight time, a Grumman-Schweizer G164A-600, N6620Q, operated by Downtown Airport Inc., was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from the Vineland-Downtown Airport, Vineland, New Jersey. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the agriculture application flight that originated at the Vineland-Downtown Airport (28N). No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 137. The pilot and airplane had flown 3 to 4 hours of application flights prior to the accident takeoff. The airplane was loaded with a chemical pesticide, and departed runway 20. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that he departed 28N for an application flight. He further stated: "...Immediately after liftoff the engine began missing, smoking and backfiring violently. Not...able to maintain sufficient airspeed, I dropped the load (207 gallons of pesticide) and landed straight ahead in a freshly plowed field. The main gear sunk into the topsoil, and the aircraft nosed over..." Examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed: "...The #8 cylinder head was cracked open from the forward spark plug boss over the top of the head to the rear spark plug boss, and progressed down to the steel cylinder barrel. No other contributing causes could be substantiated during this investigation..."
failure of the number 8 cylinder, which resulted in loss of engine power, a forced landing in soft terrain, and subsequent nose over of the airplane.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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