Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A accident near Evansville, Wisconsin, August 12, 2009
On August 12, 2009 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, registered N9794, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Evansville, Wisconsin (Maas Airstrip 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A jam of the elevator flight control for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2009 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Wisconsin · Maas Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N9794 · registry record · serial 1271
- 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 pilot attempted to pull back on the stick during the takeoff run, but was unable to move the control. He stated that he used both hands, but was still unable to move the control stick. The airplane traveled off the end of the runway where it became airborne after contacting a ditch. The airplane then settled into a corn field and a fire ensued. The reason for the control stick binding could not be determined due to the extensive fire damage to the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator control system › Inoperative
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,912 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 3,687 as pilot in command; 12 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 14, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 6, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allied TPE-331-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Evansville WI at 2:45 pm
- Destination: PVT Evansville WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from JVL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN09CA522.