Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B accident near Beaufort, North Carolina, July 8, 2013
On July 8, 2013 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1978 Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B, registered N6651K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Beaufort, North Carolina (Private Airstrip 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
A failure of the right brake for reasons that could not be determined because a postaccident examination of the brake could not be performed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2013 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beaufort, North Carolina · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B, built 1978 · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6651K · no longer on the register · serial 406B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the airplane on a private airstrip to pick up a load of chemicals for another agricultural spraying flight. The pilot reported that the right brake felt "mushy" during the landing roll and that he pressed it to its maximum range (to the floor). The airplane began to veer to the left, and the pilot applied full power in an attempt to maintain control of the airplane; however, the left wingtip struck crops near the runway. Subsequently, the airplane turned to the left and came to rest in a ditch. The private airstrip was a 25-foot-wide by 2,000-foot-long paved runway with crops planted about 20 feet from the sides of the runway. The airplane was not made available for postaccident examination; however, the pilot noted that a new master cylinder and landing on a wider runway could have helped prevent this accident. A reason for the right brake failure could not be determined.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Not specified
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,954 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 6, 2013
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garret TPE-331-25 (turboprop); 3,086 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NA Beaufort NC at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NA Beaufort NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway NA, 2,500 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from EWN, 33 miles away
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.