On December 13, 1995, a Grumman G-164B (registration N6642K) was involved in an aviation accident near Pawnee, OK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during an emergency landing following a landing gear separation, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and sustaining substantial damage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an agricultural spray run, the right main landing gear struck a berm and separated. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field but lost control, resulting in an inverted crash with significant structural damage.
What happened
The incident occurred during an agricultural spray operation when the aircraft's right main landing gear made contact with a berm. This impact caused the gear assembly to separate from the airframe. Despite this mechanical failure, the pilot managed to bring the airplane down in an open field, attempting to land on the remaining functional main gear.
However, control of the aircraft was lost during the final phase of the landing sequence. The airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. This unusual attitude resulted in extensive damage to the airframe. All four wings sustained structural damage, and the engine mount was deformed due to the forces involved in the crash.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the separation of the right main landing gear was the initiating event. The subsequent loss of control during the landing phase on the remaining gear led to the nose-over accident. The structural integrity of the wings and engine mount was compromised by the impact forces.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during an emergency landing following a landing gear separation, which resulted in the airplane nosing over and sustaining substantial damage.