Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G 164B accident near Clemville, Texas, September 4, 2013
On September 4, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1979 Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G 164B, registered N8251K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Clemville, Texas (Hlavinka Ag Strip 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 uncommanded inflight application of parking brake due to a loose valve, which resulted in a noseover during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clemville, Texas · Hlavinka Ag Strip · 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 164B, built 1979 · all G 164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8251K · no longer on the register · serial 634B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While inbound for landing the pilot stepped on the brake pedals and the "brakes felt really tight," so he quit applying pressure. During the landing roll, immediately after touchdown, the tailwheel-equipped airplane slowed quickly, nosed over, impacted the ground, and came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the parking brake revealed a loose valve, which allowed uncommanded movement of the valve into the locked position.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Braking capability › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,247 hours in all; 8,508 in this make and model; 349 in the last 90 days; 104 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,970 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2013; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pwc PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fehmel Planes INC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Clemville TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Clemville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KBYY, 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 N8251K 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.