Grumman G-164A accident near Pickens, Arkansas, February 22, 1982
On February 22, 1982 at about 4:34 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N8526H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pickens, Arkansas (M & M AG Strip 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1982 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- Pickens, Arkansas · M & M AG Strip · 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
- N8526H · registry record · serial 1395
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF HOT METAL AND BEGAN A RIGHT TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. WHILE LANDING IN AN ADJACENT FIELD, THE PLANE ENCOUNTERED SOFT MUD AND NOSED OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT AN IMPELLER BEARING HAD FAILED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,010 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 9,999 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,618 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,198 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P & W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: M & M Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: Pickens AR at 10:34 am
- Destination: Pickens AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 160°F (71°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am
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 N8526H 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.