Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G 164B accident near Foster, Nebraska, June 12, 2015
On June 12, 2015 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1976 Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G 164B, registered N48687, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Foster, Nebraska. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power during a low-level aerial application flight due to fuel exhaustion following the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that led to his assumption that sufficient fuel was on board for the flight based on his reliance on a fuel gauge that indicated the incorrect fuel level.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2015 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Foster, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G 164B B, built 1976 · all G 164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N48687 · no longer on the register · serial 157B
- 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 reported that he departed on a local agricultural application flight with what he believed was sufficient fuel on board for 2 hours of flight. He stated that he based this assumption solely on viewing the fuel quantity gauge and did not insert a stick in the fuel tank to check the fuel amount before departing on the accident flight. About 1 hour 15 minutes into the flight, the airplane lost engine power, and the pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing on muddy and water-logged terrain. The airplane then nosed over and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that, during a postaccident examination, the fuel quantity gauge read 1/4 full even though the fuel system was actually empty. The preflight procedures contained in the airplane's flight manual included a fuel quantity check, which was to be accomplished by opening the fuel cap and visually checking the fuel level, and a fuel gauge check to observe the fuel gauge for proper reading. The pilot did not verify the fuel quantity in accordance with these procedures before departing.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Expectation/assumption › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel quantity indicator › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,006.4 hours in all; 95.3 in this make and model; 67.3 in the last 90 days; 58.2 in the last 30 days; 917.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 6, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,833.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 6,848 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 84Y Bloomfield NE at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 84Y Bloomfield NE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KYKN, 39 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 N48687 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.