Grumman G164 A accident near New Church, Virginia, March 30, 1983
On March 30, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Grumman G164 A, registered N8719H, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Church, Virginia (New Church airport). 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Church, Virginia · New Church · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164 A · all G164 As on the register
- Registration
- N8719H · no longer on the register · serial 1489
- 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 ACFT SWERVED FROM A SOFT SPOT ON THE RUNWAY AND LEFT THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE ACFT WENT INTO A PLOWED FIELD THE LANDING GEAR MIRED AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PILOT COULD NOT SEE OVER THE NOSE OF THE TAILWHEEL ACFT TO DETECT THE SOFT SPOT IN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TAKEOFF IN THIS DIRECTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,918 hours in all; 2,535 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 3,866 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R 1340 AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N8719H 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.