Cessna 172 and Grumman G-164B accident near Grafton, North Dakota, August 7, 1982
On August 7, 1982, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N8909V) and Grumman G-164B (N6509K), were involved in the same accident near Grafton, North Dakota (Grafton Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1982
- Place
- Grafton, North Dakota · Grafton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8909V · no longer on the register · serial 17264266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6509K · registry record · serial 345B
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE THE STUDENT PILOT TAXIED TO THE RUNUP AREA. HE ALSO STATED THE ENGINE RUNUP TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES. AFTER THE RUNUP HE SAID HE GLANCED BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT AND SAW THE AG CAT BUT COULD NOT TAKE EVASIVE ACTION IN TIME.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Grumman G-164B final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE BEGAN TO TAXI HE NOTICED A CESSNA 172 WITH ITS ENGINE RUNNING IN FRONT OF A HANGAR, ABOUT 500 FEET AHEAD AND TO HIS LEFT. CONTINUING HIS TAXI, THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED BY AN AIRCRAFT ON THE RIGHT. WHEN HE LOOKED FORWARD AGAIN TO CHECK THE LOCATION OF THE CESSNA THE COLLISION OCCURRED.
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 for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 297 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 191 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,324 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 54D Grafton ND at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 54D Grafton ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Grumman G-164B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,326 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,682 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 380 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Don'S Aero Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 54D Grafton ND at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 54D Grafton ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
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.