Grumman G164 accident near Elton, Louisiana, December 1, 2020
On December 1, 2020 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1976 Grumman G164, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N48594, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Elton, Louisiana. 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, which resulted in a forced landing on unsuitable terrain. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2020 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elton, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164, built 1976, amateur-built · all G164s on the register
- Registration
- N48594 · no longer on the register · serial 1677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane departed from a local grass strip at near maximum gross weight to fertilize a nearby ryegrass field. Shortly after takeoff, the engine began “running bad," and the pilot added power, but the engine began running worse. The pilot reported the engine then stopped developing power and he made a forced landing in a muddy field about 1/4 mile from the grass strip. The airplane nosed over during the landing and came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. A postaccident examination of the airplane, which included the fuel system and a functional test of the magnetos, revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice while operating at cruise or glide power setting. However, the engine power setting used during the takeoff would have been significantly higher than the cruise or descent engine setting; therefore, it is unlikely that carburetor ice accumulated during the accident takeoff. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available evidence.
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 (partial) during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,835 hours in all; 2,238 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney R1340-AN1 (piston); 9,958 hours total
- Operator: Riceland Aviation Inc
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 53°F (12°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Observation at 2:35 pm from KACP, 19 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KACP 012035Z AUTO 20007KT 10SM CLR 14/M05 A3020 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 15, 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation Tulsa Aircraft Engines | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | 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.