Grumman G-164A accident near Samson, Alabama, July 18, 1994
On July 18, 1994 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N4242X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Samson, Alabama. 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 FAILURE OF THE AILERON TORQUE TUBE BOLT FROM FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1994 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Samson, Alabama · 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
- N4242X · no longer on the register · serial 2018R
- 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 AG PILOT WAS SPRAYING COTTON, AND IN A 60 DEGREE BANK, WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE AILERONS WERE INEFFECTIVE. HE REDUCED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE WINGS WITH RIGHT RUDDER. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND, FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST INVERTED. FLIGHT CONTROL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN AILERON TORQUE TUBE BOLT WAS FRACTURED, DISABLING THE AILERONS. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE BOLT REVEALED AREAS OF LOW STRESS, MULTIPLE ORIGIN FATIGUE CRACKING.
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
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 175 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from PNS, 69 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.