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WPR11CA128

2011-02-05 · Buttonwillow, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N6725K

Make / Model
GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G-164B
Year of manufacture
1978 · 33 years old at event
Engine
P&W R1340 SERIES (600 hp)
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780712
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A8E637

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an irrigation vent pipe.

Factual narrative

The aerial application pilot stated that he was making a low pass over a field, dispensing smoke, to determine wind direction and velocity. The airplane struck a 20-foot-high irrigation vent pipe, which was located in the field that he was working. He proceeded straight ahead and attempted a forced landing on a dirt road immediately next to the field because the engine was losing power. Upon touching down, the right main wheel got into some soft dirt and the airplane nosed over inverted. The engine mount was bent, and the fuselage and vertical stabilizer were wrinkled. The pilot stated that he was making a low aerial application pass over a field, dispensing smoke to determine wind direction and velocity. The airplane struck a 20-foot-high irrigation vent pipe, which was located in the field that he was working. He proceeded straight ahead and attempted a forced landing on a dirt road immediately next to the field because the engine was losing power. Upon touching down, the right main wheel encountered soft dirt and the airplane nosed over inverted, bending the engine mount and wrinkling the fuselage and vertical stabilizer. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-(general)-Contributed to outcome
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Pole-Response/compensation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_WPR11CA128.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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