Grumman G164 accident near Ogallala, Nebraska, August 24, 2020
On August 24, 2020 at about 9:50 pm local time, a 1984 Grumman G164, registered N2437D, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Ogallala, Nebraska (Ogallala Searle Field). 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 total loss of engine power due to a failure of the master connecting rod.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2020 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ogallala, Nebraska · Ogallala Searle Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164 B, built 1984 · all G164s on the register
- Registration
- N2437D · registry record · serial 764B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot of an agricultural airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. Unable to restore engine power, the pilot made an emergency landing in a cornfield, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The engine was removed from the airframe and an engine examination revealed small bits of metal in the oil filter element and that the engine was seized. The top cylinder was removed, the cylinder’s connecting rod was broken, and metal fragments were noted inside the engine. A bottom cylinder was then removed, and a broken section of the master connecting rod was retrieved. Metallurgical examination determined that the connecting rod separated due to overstress fracture, with no indication of pre-existing cracking.
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 (total) during takeoff defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,053 hours in all; 1,660 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,880 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 2, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,480 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-S1H1-G (piston); 10,652 hours total
- Operator: Mcclung Aerial Spraying INC
The flight
- Departed from: OGA Ogallala NE at 9:50 pm
- Destination: OGA Ogallala NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,102 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KOGA, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on May 16, 2022. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation - Covington Engines | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records (Excerpts) | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 14 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.