Grumman American G-164 N460Y
4 August 2005 · Sabana Grande, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 4 August 2005 at about 11:20 local time, a Grumman American G-164 registered N460Y, operated by Ponce Crop Dusting Services, was involved in an accident near Sabana Grande, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 11:20
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sabana Grande, United States
- Coordinates
- 18.0500, -67.0597
- Aircraft
- Grumman American G-164
- Registration
- N460Y
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Ponce Crop Dusting Services
- Operating rule
- Part 137: Agricultural
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Application
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Lajas → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA05CA144
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with a downdraft in mountainous terrain resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with the terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot stated that he departed from the Lajas Agriculture Airport at about 7 am in his Grumman G-164 with a northeast heading. On board the airplane was a load of mircoflex fertilizer, which was to be sprayed on a private farm in Sabana Grande. His first swift run over the farm was successful but as he begun his first procedure turn, he experienced a strong downdraft on the leeward side of the mountain. Unable to recover from the downdraft, the airplane lost altitude and crashed into a backyard of a private home. Neither he nor anyone on the ground was hurt and the private home sustained little damage. He further added the weather was for a visual flight rules operation; with the winds from the north and the temperature was 30 degrees Celsius. The pilot stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.The FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated the airplane impacted the ground straight down in a flat attitude and with no forward direction.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 2005 | Johnson REVOLUTION MINI 500 | Isabela, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Apr 2005 | Stinson 10-A | Oak Harbor, Washington, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 May 2005 | Cessna 172R | Louisburg, North Carolina, United States | First In Flight Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 2005 | Rockwell S-2R | Bristol, South Dakota, United States | Dakota Air Spray Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 2 Aug 2005 | Beechcraft 1900D | Rockland, Maine, United States | Colgan Air. Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Dec 2005 | Piper PA-31-350 | Marshall, Minnesota, United States | Midwest Aviation | Minor injuries | - |