Schweizer Aircraft CORP G-164B accident near Richvale, California, May 28, 2024
On May 28, 2024 at about 8:46 pm local time, a 1984 Schweizer Aircraft CORP G-164B, registered N3629Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Richvale, California (Richvale Airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a trailer located on the edge of the runway during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the location of the trailer on the side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2024 · about 8:46 pm local time
- Place
- Richvale, California · Richvale Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer Aircraft CORP G-164B, built 1984 · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3629Y · no longer on the register · serial 754B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the agricultural airplane was taking off when the accident occurred. A witness, located at the north end of the airfield, reported seeing the airplane become airborne about mid-field, and it began a shallow left turn to the northwest. The airplane’s lower right wing subsequently struck a hopper trailer that was parked on the left side of the departure end of the runway. After the collision, the airplane descended and impacted terrain near a drainage culvert beyond the north end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right bottom wing exhibited a large gouge and depression about 6.5 ft from the wingtip. The gouge was about 2 ft wide at the leading edge and tapered chordwise about 3.5 ft towards the trailing edge, through the wing spar, to the about midspan point of the bottom right aileron. The left wing hopper boom was collocated with the main wreckage and the right wing hopper boom was located at the first point of impact (hopper trailer). Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed flight control continuity from all flight control surfaces to the flight controls in the cockpit. The engine displayed contact signatures to its internal components characteristic of the engine developing power at the time of impact. There were no indications of any preimpact mechanical anomalies to any of the engine components that would have precluded normal engine operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 797 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,705 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 2024; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,020 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34AG (turboprop); 14,341 hours total
The flight
- Runway 34, 2,220 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KOVE, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KOVE 281953Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM CLR 28/13 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP156 T02830133
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N3629Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC24FA038.