Grumman G-164 accident near Wessington, South Dakota, July 25, 1984
On July 25, 1984 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N751Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wessington, South Dakota. 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 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
- July 25, 1984 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wessington, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164 · all G-164s on the register
- Registration
- N751Y · registry record · serial 328
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT DURING LOADING FOR AERIAL APPLICATION, HE FAILED TO NOTE APPROACHING ROLL CLOUD WHICH USUALLY SIGNIFIES LOCALIZED TURBULENCE AND STRONG, GUSTING WINDS. ON TAKEOFF ROLL, WIND SHIFT NOTED AND AT 100 FT ALTITUDE, HEAVY TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE LIQUID LOAD BEGAN TO SLOSH AND THE ACFT LOST ALTITUDE, EVENTUALLY SETTLING INTO A CORN FIELD. NO ATTEMPT TO JETTISON LOAD WAS MADE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,846 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,886 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1983; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R755A2M1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wessington SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 15 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:45 pm
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 N751Y 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.