Grumman G-164B accident near Dawson, Georgia, February 19, 1984
On February 19, 1984 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N6558K, was destroyed in an accident near Dawson, Georgia (Dawson Municipal 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).
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
- February 19, 1984 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dawson, Georgia · Dawson Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6558K · no longer on the register · serial 368B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FAILED CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY RESULTED IN A TOTAL POWER LOSS VERY SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AERIAL APPLICATION ACFT AT 30-50 FT AGL OVER THE RWY BEFORE IT PULLED UP STEEPLY, ROLLED AND ENTERED A NEAR VERTICAL UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO IMPACT. A POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED MOST OF THE WRECKAGE. DESPITE OPEN LEVEL TERRAIN OFF THE END OF THE RWY, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE RWY FOR A FORCED LDG. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED CYLINDER HEAD REVEALED EXTENSIVE FATIGUE CRACKING INITIATED IN THE CYLINDER LINER THREAD ROOTS AND BETWEEN THE COOLING FINS AT THE TOP OF THE CYLINDER.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1983; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from ABY, 17 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.
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.