Accident Overview
On May 21, 2012, at approximately 0637 Pacific daylight time, a Grumman G-164D agricultural aircraft, registration N8267K, impacted terrain during an agricultural application flight near Nicolaus, California. The aircraft was operated by Farm Air Flying Service, Inc., under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage.
Flight Details
The flight originated from the operator's facility in Sacramento, California, approximately 10 miles south of the accident site. The intended mission involved applying 1,000 pounds of fertilizer to a rice field. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan had been filed.
Witness Observations
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane make a low pass across a field, then execute a hard banking turn to return toward the field, after which it impacted the ground.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright with its nose partially submerged in the rice field. Impact occurred in a nose-low, wings-level attitude.
Post-Accident Examination
Investigators examined the wreckage at Plain Parts in Sacramento on September 27, 2012. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
GPS Data Analysis
The aircraft was equipped with a Satloc M3 GPS data logging system. The unit was recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for data download. The GPS track of the 13-minute flight, during which the fertilizer was being applied, showed no abnormal tracks prior to the accident.
Conclusion
The investigation did not identify a specific cause for the accident. No mechanical failures or anomalies were found, and the GPS data indicated normal flight patterns up to the moment of impact.