Grumman G-164B accident near Lake Charles, Louisiana, June 4, 2005
On June 4, 2005 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N6832K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Charles, Louisiana (O'Brian Flying Service 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
The failure of the propeller governor which resulted in a forced landing. A contributing factor was the transmission wire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2005 · about 7:40 pm local time · cases in 2005
- Place
- Lake Charles, Louisiana · O'Brian Flying Service Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6832K · registry record · serial 502B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following takeoff and after initiating a left turn to return to the field being sprayed, the 19,000 hour pilot reduced propeller RPM and the 2-bladed propeller "went to the full coarse setting and lost drive." During the forced landing the airplane struck a power line and subsequently impacted terrain. Examination of the propeller governor by a repair facility revealed that the "propeller governor pilot valve had failed, causing an internal oil leak, which resulted in the failure of the propeller governor. "
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: 19,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,200.0 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2005; 366.1 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340ANI (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: O'Brien Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LA71 Iowa LA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 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.
Other NTSB records under N6832K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6832K on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Grumman G-164 119 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Grumman 443 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340ANI 1,229 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- O'Brien Flying Service Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Louisiana 1,274 since 1982 · 189 in the last ten years
- Louisiana 3,729 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N6832K 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DFW05LA147.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.