Grumman-Schweizer G-164B accident near Wellfleet, Nebraska, August 9, 1996
On August 9, 1996 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, registered N6966K, was destroyed in an accident near Wellfleet, 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
failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft control, while maneuvering at low latitude. The hilly (rolling) terrain and unfavorable wind were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1996 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wellfleet, 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-164B
- Registration
- N6966K · registry record · serial 530B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting aerial spraying over rolling terrain, the pilot experienced a violent nose down motion of the airplane, followed by the airplane going into a left wing down attitude. He recovered from the left wing down attitude, but experienced a right wing and nose down situation. The airplane struck the rolling terrain with the right wing, which subsequently resulted in extensive damage. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies or operational problems prior to impact. He believed that he may have encountered a windshear condition. About 21 miles west (at North Platte), the wind was from 180 degrees at 10 gusting 17 knots.
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: 8,278 hours in all; 6,994 in this make and model; 215 in the last 90 days; 197 in the last 30 days; 8,146 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,496 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 10, 1996; 387 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 64V Wallace NE at 4:50 pm
- Destination: 64V
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from LBF, 21 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.
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.