Grumman-Schweizer G-164A accident near Petersburg, Nebraska, August 16, 2001
On August 16, 2001 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164A, registered N4598, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petersburg, Nebraska. 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 failure of the engine cylinder, and the unsuitable terrain for landing encountered by the pilot. Factors were the low altitude and the muddy field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2001 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Petersburg, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Registration
- N4598 · no longer on the register · serial 1068
- 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 airplane was damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during an aerial-application flight. The pilot reported, "While spraying at 6 [feet] AGL the engine began running rough and quit. I made an emergency landing in a muddy soybean field, sliding to a stop damaging the right lower wing and right landing gear." A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the number 8 cylinder head had separated from the cylinder barrel between the second and third cooling fins. This condition is identified in Pratt and Whitney Airworthiness Directive (AD) 78-08-07. The AD requires a recurring visual inspection of the cylinder at 150 hour or 100 hour intervals. Cylinders that had been ultrasonically tested prior to installation on the engine were to be inspected at 150 hour intervals. Cylinders that had not been ultrasonically tested prior to installation on the engine were to be inspected at 100 hour intervals . According to the aircraft maintenance records, the airplane had accumulated 99.8 hours time in service since the inspection was last performed. It is not known if the failed cylinder had been ultrasonically inspected.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,120 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 6,047 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,870 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 27, 2000; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-An-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4V9 Neligh NE at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from OFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4598 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.