Schweizer Aircraft CORP G-164B accident near Knox, Indiana, July 26, 2022
On July 26, 2022 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1991 Schweizer Aircraft CORP G-164B, registered N629EH, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Knox, Indiana. 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
A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2022 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Knox, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer Aircraft CORP G-164B, built 1991 · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N629EH · no longer on the register · serial 827B
- 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 aerial application flight, which was operated within the load limitations of the airplane, was the pilot’s 5th flight of that day. The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff, about 15 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane would not continue to climb. The pilot advanced the throttle, but the engine did not seem to respond. The airplane was in a nose-high attitude when the right wing impacted a corn field near the end of the grass airstrip. The airplane came to rest in the corn field and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Postaccident examination of the engine and accessories revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Earthen debris within the engine, internal rotational scoring, and the exhaust duct torsional buckling were consistent with engine operation at the time of impact. Some contaminants were noted within the engine accessories; however, these contaminants were consistent with environmental exposure during the impact sequence and the presence of rust due to the length of time between the accident and subsequent examinations. The reason for the reported partial loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 18, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,148 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 18, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 (turboprop); 22,521 hours total
- Operator: Thunder Valley AG Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 154° at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 78°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPPO 261715Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/15 A3003 RMK AO2 T02370152=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on January 30, 2024. 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 | Initial Examination Summary | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpt of Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Review of Weight and Balance | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Pwc Engine Disassembly Report | PDF, 20 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Pwc Engine Controls and Accessories Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Investigation Photograph | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22LA349.