Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for landing and the fence post. Factors relating to this accident were the pilot's inability to see the fence post due to the high vegetation, and the soft dirt.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot said that he 'was landing to the north when the lower left wing and boom hit a steel fence post that was obscured by the wheat.' The airplane skidded left off of the road into a soybean field. The wheels dug into the soft dirt. The airplane nosed forward, caught the right lower wing and flipped over on it's back. The pilot said, 'The impact of the overturn ruptured the fuel tank. I quickly released the seat belt and exited the aircraft. The aircraft burst into flames and was destroyed by fire.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 14, 1997, at 1400 central daylight time (cdt), a Grumman G-164, N663B, operated by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when while landing on a gravel road, the airplane struck a pole, veered off of the road into a bean field, and nosed over. The airplane subsequently caught on fire and was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The field calibration flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. A flight plan was not on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight originated 3 miles south of Council Grove, Kansas, at 1330 cdt. In his written statement, the pilot said that he "was landing to the north when the lower left wing and boom hit a steel fence post that was obscured by the wheat." The airplane skidded left off of the road into a soybean field. The wheels dug into the soft dirt. The airplane nosed forward, caught the right lower wing and flipped over on it's back. The pilot said, "The impact of the overturn ruptured the fuel tank. I quickly released the seat belt and exited the aircraft. The aircraft burst into flames and was destroyed by fire." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the wreckage found the remains of the airplane resting in the field next to a north-south running gravel road from which the airplane was operating off of. The airplane had sustained severe fire damage. Examination of the engine and other airplane systems revealed no pre-existing anomalies. -