Grumman G-164A accident near Galesburg, Illinois, August 20, 1996
On August 20, 1996 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N904X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galesburg, Illinois. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from trees that protruded into the field that he was spraying.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1996 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Galesburg, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N904X · no longer on the register · serial 425
- 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 of an aerial application flight was making a swath run next to an irregular field boundary. He said his airplane collided head-on with trees that protruded about 300 feet into the field. The airplane pitched up to a high angle of attack after the tree collision. Shortly thereafter, it collided with the trees a second time before striking the ground. The pilot said his reaction time was not as quick as it should have been.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,226 hours in all; 218 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 106 in the last 30 days; 8,897 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,066 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 1996; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CO7 Kewanee IL at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.