No fatalities

29 May 2020: Grumman G164 A — Moller Aviation Inc — Maxwell, CA

Maxwell, CA, United States

On 29 May 2020, a Grumman G164 A operated by Moller Aviation Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Maxwell, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff when the airplane was not attaining sufficient airspeed for takeoff and subsequently departed the end of the runway and collided with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

An aerial application aircraft collided with a berm during a tailwind takeoff, became airborne briefly, then forced-landed in a rice field and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to wings and empennage. The pilot noted inadequate pre-takeoff evaluation.

Accident Summary

An agricultural aircraft experienced a takeoff accident after departing from a 2,000-foot airstrip with a tailwind. The pilot had loaded the airplane with 2,000 pounds of sulfate and topped off the fuel tanks before beginning the takeoff roll. During the roll, the pilot realized insufficient airspeed and applied full available power, but the remaining runway length was inadequate to abort the takeoff and stop safely. The airplane then struck a berm at the end of the airstrip, becoming airborne for a short distance. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing in a rice field, during which the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted.

Pilot Statement

The pilot acknowledged that he should have assessed the aircraft's weight, wind direction, and density altitude in relation to its performance capabilities prior to the takeoff. He further reported that no preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or engine occurred that would have prevented normal operation.

Damage Assessment

The wings and empennage sustained substantial damage as a result of the accident sequence.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotAirspeed — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipment