Grumman G164 accident near Bay Minette, Alabama, October 14, 1991
On October 14, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Grumman G164, registered N590Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bay Minette, Alabama (Bay Minette Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 ROUGH/UNEVEN RUNWAY CONDITION CAUSED BY THE SINK HOLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bay Minette, Alabama · Bay Minette Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164 · all G164s on the register
- Registration
- N590Y · no longer on the register · serial 181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE HIT A SINK HOLE IN THE RUNWAY,AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. HE SAID THAT THE LEFT MAIN TIRE BLEW OUT, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT NEXT TO THE RUNWAY AND FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT SAID THE HOLE IN THE RUNWAY MEASURED 2 FEET DEEP, 2 FEET LONG, AND 18 INCHES IN WIDTH.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 8,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,755 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1991; 121 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: NONE Lucedale MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,300 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:30 pm from MOB, 19 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.