What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1996-05-14 involved a Grumman-schweizer G-164A, registration N6620Q, at Vineland, NJ.

Cracked Cylinder Head Leads to Engine Failure and Forced Landing During Aerial Application Flight (N6620Q)

On May 14, 1996, a Grumman-schweizer G-164A (registration N6620Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Vineland, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

During takeoff, an agricultural airplane's engine malfunctioned with missing, smoking, and backfiring. The pilot jettisoned pesticide and performed a forced landing in a plowed field, resulting in a nose-over. A cracked cylinder head was found.

Event Summary

An agricultural airplane experienced an engine failure shortly after takeoff while conducting an aerial application flight. The aircraft had been loaded with a chemical pesticide and initiated a takeoff from runway 20. Immediately after liftoff, the engine began to run roughly, emitting smoke and backfiring violently.

Pilot Actions

Unable to maintain airspeed, the pilot elected to jettison the 207 gallons of pesticide and executed a forced landing straight ahead into a freshly plowed field. During the landing, the main landing gear sank into the soft topsoil, causing the airplane to nose over.

Post-Accident Examination

Inspection 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. The crack had progressed down into the cylinder barrel.

Damage

The aircraft sustained damage during the nose-over event, though the full extent of damage was not detailed in the source.

1996-05-14: Grumman-schweizer G-164A (N6620Q) — Vineland, NJ