Grumman G-164A accident near Prairie View, Kansas, May 9, 1997
On May 9, 1997 at about 10:52 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N7859, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prairie View, Kansas. 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
an undetermined event, which resulted in loss of engine power. Factors relating to the accident were: an automobile, which prevented the pilot from landing on a road; and a dirt bank (terrace) in the emergency landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1997 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Prairie View, Kansas · 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
- N7859 · no longer on the register · serial 806
- 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 taken off to the north on an aerial application flight with 100 gallons of chemical. The airplane was about 30 feet above the ground when a loss of engine power occurred. The pilot reported 'The engine may have backfired three to four times.' The airplane began to lose altitude. The pilot said he set the mixture to rich, dropped part of the load (chemical) and used the throttle which seemed to help. He decided to land the airplane on a road just north of the airport. As he lined up with the road, he saw a car coming. He then decided to land in an adjacent plowed field. The airplane touched down on three points, 'hit a terrace' which 'tore the engine off,' nosed over, tore the stabilizers off, uprighted, and came to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomaly.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 9,026 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1997; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KS05 at 10:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from HLC, 30 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.