Accident Details
On May 5, 2008, at approximately 1810 Pacific daylight time, a Grumman G-164 agricultural aircraft, registered as N703Y, suffered a complete loss of engine power shortly after departing from a grass airstrip located about 4 miles north-northeast of Butte City, California. The airplane had climbed to an estimated altitude of 15 feet above ground when the commercial pilot heard a "pop" sound. The pilot executed a forced landing onto the same field. During the landing roll, the aircraft struck a dirt berm, causing it to nosed over and come to rest in shallow water. The fuselage and empennage were broken, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was being conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 for agricultural application, specifically to seed a nearby field with rice. The operator was Chuck Jones Flying Service, Inc., based in Biggs, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
Pilot Report
The pilot informed the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator that the airplane had been operating normally before the accident flight. While preparing to seed a field with rice, the engine suddenly lost all power. The accident was reported to the NTSB on May 12, 2008.
Engine Examination
At the direction of the NTSB investigator, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinator performed an examination of the engine. The crankshaft was rotated and "thumb" compression was found to be "satisfactory" in all cylinders. The magnetos were correctly timed and produced spark upon rotation. The carburetor was free of obstructions. According to the FAA coordinator, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction was found.
Fuel Considerations
In the pilot's submitted "Aircraft Accident Report," he indicated that the airplane should have had 30 gallons of fuel on board at takeoff. However, the crew that recovered the airplane from the accident site reported that they were unable to confirm the presence of fuel in the tanks. They did not detect any fuel odor around the airplane, and only very small amounts of fuel were observed in the standing water—approximately 6 to 12 inches deep—surrounding the aircraft. The operator stated that the company does not keep fueling records for individual fueling events when operating from remote locations. The airplane had flown three application flights since its last refueling, and the amount of fuel delivered during that refueling was unknown.