Schweizer Aircraft Corp G-164B N7503H accident near Beltrami, Minnesota

Probable cause

A collision with terrain and subsequent nose over for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

The airplane departed on an aerial application flight for a field south of the departure airport. The flight was the second to the field and the pilot’s 19th flight of the day.

Data extracted from the airplane’s GPS guidance system showed that on departure the airplane climbed to 1,200 ft mean sea level (msl) and proceeded south to the field where the pilot descended to about 20 ft above the field and began the first of 12 application runs. On completion of the 12th run, the airplane climbed to about 1,250 ft msl and made two north to south orbits over the east end of the field. On completion of the second orbit, the airplane made a left turn to a heading of about 270o and descended to an altitude of 816 ft msl. The airplane proceeded west across the field from east to west. The last recorded data point showed the airplane at the west edge of the field on a 270o heading, at an altitude of 816 ft msl, and an airspeed of 134.1 mph.

The airplane was discovered in a beet field about 1/4 mile north-northwest of the field that had been sprayed. There were no witnesses to the accident. The airplane impacted the ground in an upright wings-level, nose-down attitude, nosed over, and came to rest inverted about 45 feet northwest of the initial impact point. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the cowling and fuselage, upper and lower wings, and the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The main landing gear were separated, and the propeller showed s-bending and chordwise scratches. Jet-A fuel was present and examined at the site with no contaminants.

A postaccident examination of the airplane and subsequent examinations of the engine, propeller, and propeller governor showed no preaccident failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the collision with terrain and nose over could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN23FA269 for the full record.