Grumman G-164A accident near Lynchburg, South Carolina, September 22, 1995
On September 22, 1995 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N9700, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lynchburg, South Carolina. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the magneto mount pad, which resulted in a malfunction of the magneto timing and partial loss of engine power. A factor relating to the accident was: high vegetation in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1995 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lynchburg, South Carolina · 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
- N9700 · registry record · serial 1232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, while the pilot was returning from spraying a field, the engine began running roughly. The pilot stated he checked both magnetos, and then the engine lost power. He attempted to restart the engine, but was unable to do so. He elected to land in a soybean field. During the flare, the landing gear was caught by the 5 foot high soybean crop, and the aircraft nosed over. Postcrash examination showed that the right magneto timing had been lost, because the rear attachment base had broken, permitting the magneto to shift.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,770 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1994; 488 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Tallon Field SC at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from SSC, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL95LA172.