Grumman G-164A accident near Benton, Missouri, April 4, 1998
On April 4, 1998 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N48FS, was destroyed in an accident near Benton, Missouri (Private Airstrip 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
an engine fire for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1998 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Benton, Missouri · Private Airstrip · 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
- N48FS · registry record · serial 1660
- Damage
- Destroyed
- 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 started the airplane and moved it out onto the airstrip where it was to be loaded with fertilizer. After approximately two hours he attempted to restart the engine at which time it backfired and quit. He reported he waited 15 to 20 seconds, pumped the throttle three times and attempted to restart the engine. Smoke instantly started coming out of the exhaust stack. A ground loader got a fire extinguisher and fired it into the exhaust stack. The pilot stated he pulled the mixture back, opened the throttle and continued to crank the engine for three or four minutes hoping to suck the flames into the engine. He reported that after this time he was forced to leave the airplane due to the heavy smoke. The pilot reported the north winds blew the flames upward which ignited the top fuel tank. The airplane was destroyed by the fire.
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: 18,510 hours in all; 10,060 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,964 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1997; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,339 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from CGI, 13 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.
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.