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CEN16LA173

2016-05-04 · Iowa, Louisiana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LA71

Current FAA registration · N8400K

Make / Model
GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G-164B
Year of manufacture
1982 · 34 years old at event
Engine
AIRESEARCH TPE331 SERIES (600 hp)
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19910710
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB823B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with an inoperative right brake.

Factual narrative

On May 4, 2016, about 1130 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B airplane, N8400K, was substantially damaged during landing at the O'Brien Flying Service Airport (LA71), Ames, Louisiana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by O'Briens Flying Service, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial spraying flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, with no flight plan filed. The local flight departed a private airport about 1110. The pilot stated he had been conducting spray operations since 0730. While landing at a private (satellite) airport, he noticed the right brake was not operating. The pilot executed a go-around and diverted to LA71, based on his desire to land on a longer/wider runway. While landing on Runway 3, the airplane drifted left during rollout. The pilot applied full engine power in an unsuccessful attempt to correct to centerline. The airplane subsequently impacted a fence, which damaged both wings. Examination by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors revealed a failure of the right main landing gear hydraulic fluid line, which occurred at the b-nut for the engine cowl feed through fitting. The part number for the failed line was "Right Hand Tube Assembly, P/N A2526-4". The pilot of the agricultural application airplane was landing at a satellite airport when he noticed that the right brake was not operating. He executed a go-around and diverted to his home airport, which was equipped with a longer, wider runway. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, a "gust of wind turned the airplane to the left," and he attempted to correct by applying full power. The airplane subsequently exited the left side of the runway and impacted a fence. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_CEN16LA173.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (go-around). All research papers