On June 6, 2003, a Grumman G-164 (registration N10291) was involved in an aviation accident near Shiloh, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper in-flight decision to not jettison his load when he realized that he would not clear the trees. A factor was the pilot's inattention to his airspeed at liftoff and on climb. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A chemical spray airplane on its fourth flight of the day struck treetops and settled beyond the runway after the pilot felt a burble and did not dump 1,200 pounds of chemicals.
Incident Details
A chemical spray airplane was conducting its fourth flight of the day, carrying chemicals for spraying. After becoming airborne and approaching a row of trees at the end of the runway, the pilot reported feeling a "burble." The airplane was unable to clear the trees, flying through their tops and settling to the ground beyond in a level attitude.
Pilot's Report
The pilot stated that he was unaware of his airspeed at liftoff and during the climb. Additionally, he elected not to dump the 1,200 pounds of chemicals onboard, which would have reduced the aircraft's weight by approximately 25 percent.