Grumman G-164B accident near Grandin, North Dakota, August 14, 1992
On August 14, 1992 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N48687, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grandin, North Dakota. 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 CRACKED CYLINDER WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN ON WHICH TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1992 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grandin, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N48687 · no longer on the register · serial 157B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AERIAL APPLICATOR WAS CONDUCTING SPRAY OPERATION WHEN ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN INTERMITTENTLY. FIELD WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR LANDING SO HE ELECTED TO ATTEMPT LANDING ON A ROAD BEHIND A GRAIN TRUCK WHICH WAS TRAVELLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT HE WAS GOING TO LAND. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, ENGINE CAUGHT AND GAVE HIM A SHORT BURST OF POWER. AIRPLANE ACCELERATED MOMENTARILY AND LANDED IN THE BED OF THE GRAIN TRUCK, THEN FELL OFF, AND CAME TO A STOP.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,930 hours in all; 1,683 in this make and model; 310 in the last 90 days; 140 in the last 30 days; 4,871 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,439 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 1992; 302 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,830 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wischer Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from GFK, 40 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 N48687 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.