Grumman G-164 accident near Michigan, North Dakota, October 11, 2010
On October 11, 2010 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N554Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Michigan, North Dakota (Private 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff roll following a noticeable loss of engine power due to low engine compression and a magneto failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 2010 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Michigan, North Dakota · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164 · all G-164s on the register
- Registration
- N554Y · no longer on the register · serial 225
- 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 stated that, during an attempted takeoff of an aerial application flight, the engine did not appear to be producing as much power as he anticipated. When the airplane became airborne, about 300 feet before the departure end of the runway, it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot lowered the nose and the airplane impacted the runway's overrun area and nosed over; it came to rest inverted about 300 feet past the departure end of the runway. A postaccident examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed that they were unable to obtain compression in two engine cylinders. They additionally found that a magneto was inoperative; no other anomalies were found.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 450 in the last 90 days; 10,950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Michigan ND
- Destination: PVT Michigan ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.