Schweizer Aircraft Corp G-164B accident near Russellville, Indiana, July 15, 2025
On July 15, 2025 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1988 Schweizer Aircraft Corp G-164B, registered N7501A, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Russellville, Indiana (Durham Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to establish and maintain the airstrip centerline during takeoff, which resulted in the airplane’s right wingtips contacting the corn that bordered the airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2025 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Russellville, Indiana · Durham Airport · 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 1988 · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7501A · registry record · serial 803B
- 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 departing from a 100-ft-wide grass airstrip in the tailwheel-equipped agricultural biplane. The pilot reported that during the takeoff run, as the tail of the airplane came up, the right wingtips contacted the corn that bordered the airstrip. The airplane subsequently veered further into the corn and spun around. The airplane’s wings, fuselage, and empennage were substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,503 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 12,503 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 15, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,919.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 2024; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 (turboprop); 12,919 hours total
- Operator: Bi-State Air, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: II68 Russellville IN at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from CFJ, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCFJ 152055Z AUTO 14004KT 10SM SCT028 SCT065 SCT070 27/22 A3000 RMK AO2 P0009 60009 T02670223=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN25LA254.