Grumman G-164A accident near Allegan, Michigan, April 4, 1988
On April 4, 1988 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N84PG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allegan, Michigan. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1988 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Allegan, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N84PG · registry record · serial 1536
- 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 HAD JUST COMPLETED TWO SWATH RUNS AND WAS TURNING TO START THE THIRD WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO BUFFET AND APPROACHED A STALL. THE PILOT THEN LOWERED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ADDED FULL THROTTLE. AFTER APPLYING FULL THROTTLE THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT HEAR THE ENGINE RESPOND. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE GROUND THE PILOT STATED HE APPLIED BACK PRESSURE '....SEVERAL TIMES WITH NEAR STALL CONTROL FEELINGS', BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IT'S UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND SUBSEQUENTLY CLIPPED SOME TREES BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. ALTHOUGH A WITNESS STATED HEARING THE ENGINE BACKFIRE SHORTLY BEFORE IMPACT, DURING THE INVESTIGATION NOTHING WAS FOUND MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT DO CORRELATE WITH THE RANGE OF CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE, AND THE ENGINE, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND WITNESS STATEMENTS, DID EXHIBIT SOME INDICATIONS THAT CARBURETOR ICE MAY HAVE FORMED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 961 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 885 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1988; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 35D Allegan MI
- Destination: 35D
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from GRR, 24 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 N84PG 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.