Grumman G-164-B accident near Bradford, Illinois, August 6, 2004
On August 6, 2004 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Grumman G-164-B, registered N6677Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bradford, Illinois (Private Airstrip 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance, and his failure to perform a go-around. Additional factors were the wet runway and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2004 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bradford, Illinois · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164-B · all G-164-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6677Q · registry record · serial 198B
- 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 sustained substantial damage when it contacted a ditch and nosed over after it overran the end of a 2,400 foot grass airstrip. The pilot reported that he circled the grass airstrip once before setting up for a landing to the south on the north/south runway. He landed "as short on the north end as the railroad tracks would allow." He reported the brakes did not feel "as effective as normal." He pumped the brakes twice but they failed to slow the airplane. He reported that it was too late to "power-up and go around," and the airplane departed the end of the runway. The airplane hit a small ditch and it nosed over. The inspection of the brake system revealed the brakes operated normally. No mechanical deficiencies were observed. A witness reported the grass was wet due to a heavy dew on the morning of the accident. He reported that he observed the airplane on final approach for landing. He reported that the airplane was too high and it landed past the first one-third of the runway. He reported the pilot "used up quite a bit of runway before he touched down." He reported that there was no way the airplane was going to stop on the runway due to the dew on the grass and the speed 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 340 in the last 90 days; 190 in the last 30 days; 1,240 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2003; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fenton IL at 12:40 pm
- Destination: Bradford IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from PIA, 32 miles away
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 N6677Q 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.