Amateur-built G-164B accident near Goodland, Kansas, June 11, 1999
On June 11, 1999 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built G-164B, registered N6515K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goodland, 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
the fracture of the rocker arm bolt. Contributing factors were the pilot's low altitude and the crops.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1999 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Goodland, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built G-164B
- Registration
- N6515K · no longer on the register · serial 350B
- 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 stated that while spraying a corn field, he had exited the field, began to pull up and turn to the east when he noticed a vibration. He stated that he continued the maneuver during which he saw oil from the number eight cylinder leaking onto the exhaust of the engine. He added that at 3/4 through the turn, the engine's rocker arm shaft began to 'work its way out'. He stated the engine was not developing power, so he elected to land on a north-south access road that was approximately 15 feet in width; the sides of which were elevated approximately 2 feet in height. He reported that during the landing attempt, the aircraft's left wing impacted the wheat, the aircraft rotated 180 degrees and the right landing gear separated from the aircraft. The aircraft continued in a rearward direction into the wheat field. The pilot reported that there was an inch of rainfall the previous day. The rocker arm bolt was fractured at the location of a cotter pin hole.
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: 765 hours in all; 318 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 765 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,155 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1999; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLD at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from GLD, 26 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.