MAXIE, LA, USA
N48467
SCHWEIZER G-164A
THE ACFT WAS BEING USED ON A FLT TO SPREAD FERTILIZER. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED IN AN AREA OF DENSE TREES NEAR THE EDGE OF A FIELD. THE 1ST IMPACT WITH TREES WAS AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 55' AGL, WHICH SHEARED OFF A 9' BRANCH FROM A TREE. THE ACFT CONTD 43' & HIT TREES AGAIN, ABOUT 31' AGL, & SHEARED OFF TWO 12' BRANCHES. IT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & CAME TO REST ABOUT 85' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS TRAVELING AT A MODERATE SPEED WHEN IT 1ST HIT THE TREES. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENG WAS OPERATING NORMALLY BEFORE IMPACT. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND, EXCEPT THAT CONTINUITY OF THE ENG SUPERCHARGER DRIVE WAS DISRUPTED; THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL WHETHER THE SUPERCHARGER CONTINUITY HAD FAILED BEFORE OR AFTER IMPACT. THE ACFT'S HOPPER WAS FULLY LOADED WITH FERTILIZER WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PRESENCE OF TREES NEAR THE FIELD WHERE FERTILIZER WAS TO BE DISPENSED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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