Grumman-Schweizer G-164B accident near Crookston, Minnesota, May 25, 1996
On May 25, 1996 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, registered N48518, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crookston, Minnesota. 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
catastrophic engine failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1996 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crookston, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164B
- Registration
- N48518 · registry record · serial 61B
- 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 reported that he was at 200 feet turning for a spray run and the engine began 'running very rough, some smoke and oil noticed.' He conducted a forced landing in an 'open, rough field which had recently been saturated with heavy rain fall. Upon touch down, the main wheels began sinking in the mud and caused the aircraft to slowly flip forward....' The owner of the airplane reported that the engine was properly serviced prior to flight. Examination of the engine revealed five cracked cylinders and a master rod failure. The chief inspector of the FAA approved overhaul facility that examined the engine reported that 'the damage found during disassembly was typical of other engines known to have been oil starved during operation. The cause of oil starvation in this engine is unknown.'
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: 8,737 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 8,555 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1996; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N48518 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.