Grumman G-164A accident near Pittsgrove, New Jersey, September 29, 2007
On September 29, 2007 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N8761H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pittsgrove, New Jersey. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to low compression for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2007 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pittsgrove, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N8761H · registry record · serial 1516
- 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 was maneuvering the airplane at 50 feet after completing a spray run and heard a "pop" sound. The airplane started to descend, the pilot applied power and the rpm came up to 2300 to 2400 rpm. The airplane collided with the ground and nosed over inverted during the forced landing. The engine was removed and a partial disassembly was completed. A compression test was conducted and 3 cylinders had low compression. No other anomalies were noted with the engine. The cause of the loss of cylinder compression was not determined.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,413 hours in all; 1,001 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 3,242 as pilot in command; 528 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,383 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NJ74 Salem NJ at 8:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from KMIV, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N8761H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.