| Crash location | 39.403333°N, 122.046666°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Princeton, CA
37.504941°N, 122.486922°W 133.3 miles away |
| Tail number | N716Y |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 04 May 2011 |
| Aircraft type | Grumman G-164 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot stated that he took off into a 15-mph head wind from a dirt strip with a 1,800 pound load of fertilizer. He climbed the airplane to around 100 to 150 feet above ground level (agl) and started the downwind turn. The airplane began to descend as he turned downwind and he could not maintain altitude. He had insufficient altitude to release all the load before the airplane collided with the terrain. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain.