Grumman G164 accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, August 18, 2020
On August 18, 2020 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1976 Grumman G164, registered N48416, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Scottsbluff, 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 pilot’s loss of visual reference during agricultural low-level flight, resulting in collision with power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2020 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsbluff, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164 B, built 1976 · all G164s on the register
- Registration
- N48416 · no longer on the register · serial 22B
- 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 was flying the agricultural airplane, low-level, applying fertilizer to a field, and running parallel to power lines that bordered the field. When he finished the center of the field, he flew several cleanup passes on some of the edges of the field. He thought that the power lines were to the south of his position and stated that they blended into the tree line. As he came down into the field for a pass, his top wing blocked his forward view, and when he leveled out, he could not avoid the power lines in front of him. The airplane collided with the power lines and impacted the field which was adjacent to a roadway. The airplane came to rest inverted and sustained substantial damage to the wings, the fuselage, and empennage. As the power lines came down, they impacted a moving semi-truck, and pulled down adjacent power line poles. The pilot and the driver of the semi-truck sustained minor injuries. After the accident, the pilot stated that the accident could have been avoided if he had flown around the boarders to double check for obstacles.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 18,671 hours in all; 5,946 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 22, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 2020; 347 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell TPE331-2-201A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:20 am from BFF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 3, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Form 6120 Pilot Operator Report CEN20CA347 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Police Report Excerpts CEN20CA347 | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array CEN20CA347 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.