Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A accident near Mansfield, South Dakota, August 10, 2011
On August 10, 2011 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, registered N127FC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Mansfield, South 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 loss of engine power due to debris in the engine air intake system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2011 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mansfield, South Dakota · Private · 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
- N127FC · registry record · serial 1393
- 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 engine gradually lost power after takeoff, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed debris in the engine air intake system, which significantly reduced the air available for combustion. The engine was subsequently removed from the airframe and run in a test cell. The test run revealed no anomalies with respect to engine operation.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,451 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 2011; 240 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P & W R-985-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Mansfield SD at 10:50 pm
- Destination: PVT Mansfield SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from ABR, 14 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.
Other NTSB records under N127FC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.