Grumman G-164 accident near Tallulah, Louisiana, June 23, 2008
On June 23, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N54229, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Tallulah, Louisiana. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tallulah, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164 · all G-164s on the register
- Registration
- N54229 · no longer on the register · serial 160B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 546-hour commercial pilot was ferrying an aircraft on a short flight (approximately 8 miles) from a private airstrip to a different airfield. The pilot reported that shortly after departure, he reduced engine power for cruise flight. The airplane started to lose altitude and before the pilot could stop the descent, the agricultural airplane impacted a corn field. The pilot received minor injures during the mishap and the airplane came to rest in the inverted position.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 546 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 195 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 481 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,058 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2008
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tallulah LA
- Destination: Tallulah LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.