Grumman-Schweizer G-164A accident near Benton, Missouri, June 20, 1997
On June 20, 1997 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164A, registered N48FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Benton, Missouri (Private Strip airport). 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 pilot's inadequate preflight by failing to insure that the secondary flight control lock was stowed properly, and subsequently the secondary flight control lock becoming engaged during the takeoff run. A factor relating to the accident was: inadequate design of the secondary flight control lock that was installed by the airplane's owner/pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1997 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Benton, Missouri · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Registration
- N48FS · registry record · serial 1660
- 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 was departing to the south from the mid-point of a private dirt strip. The airplane accelerated normally. Just after the pilot brought up the tail of the airplane, he realized that a control lock was hung up on the control stick. The pilot could not pull the stick back. He said that he 'throttled back too late. The propeller struck the ground. The airplane did a somersault, landing on its back.' Examination of the wreckage revealed that a secondary ground control lock (installed by the pilot/owner of the airplane) was hooked on the control stick, making it impossible to move the airplane's ailerons or elevator. No other anomalies were found with the airplane.
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
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 15,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,975 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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 N48FS 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.