Grumman G-164A accident near Truman, Arkansas, April 28, 1993
On April 28, 1993 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N31182, was destroyed in an accident near Truman, Arkansas. 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
A POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS: THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1993 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Truman, Arkansas · 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
- N31182 · no longer on the register · serial 1609
- 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 WAS FLUSHING THE HOPPER WITH WATER. HE MADE A PASS OVER A FIELD WITH THE SPRAY BOOM OFF. AS HE PULLED UP TO CLEAR A WIRE, HE SWITCHED THE SPRAY BOOM ON. HE INITIATED A DESCENT INTO AN ADJOINING FIELD AND AS HE STARTED THE ROUNDOUT, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED DESCENDING. HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE GROUND, THEN LIFTED OFF. THE PILOT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR A KNOLL AT THE END OF THE FIELD, SO HE PULLED THE NOSE UP AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES. THREE GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING A BANG, AN EXPLOSION, OR BACKFIRE. THEN ENGINE WAS LATER FUNCTIONALLY TESTED AND IT OPERATED SATISFACTORILY.
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: 10,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 9,550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,106 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 8, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.