Grumman G164B accident near Rayville, Louisiana, August 28, 2001
On August 28, 2001 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Grumman G164B, registered N2LU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rayville, Louisiana. 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 partial failure of the magneto drive coupling while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of engine power and a forced landing. A contributing factor to the accident 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
- August 28, 2001 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rayville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164B · all G164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2LU · registry record · serial 595
- 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 had been applying malathion to a field for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes when the engine began backfiring and running rough. A loss of engine power ensued and the pilot executed a forced landing to a field. The airplane touched down and rolled approximately 200 feet before the left main gear hit a small mound of grass and dirt. Subsequently, the aircraft nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed that the drive coupling on a magneto was partially sheared.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M79 Rayville LA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 10:28 pm from MLU, 17 miles away
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 N2LU 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.