Grumman G164A-450 accident near Clyde, Texas, January 8, 1983
On January 8, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Grumman G164A-450, registered N7843, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clyde, Texas (Elmdale 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clyde, Texas · Elmdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164A-450 · all G164A-450s on the register
- Registration
- N7843 · registry record · serial 790
- 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 ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POWERLINE AND CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PULLING OUT FROM A SWATH RUN WHEN THE ENGINE CUT OUT,BACKFIRED AND STARTED RUNNING AGAIN. THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO ELMDALE, ON THE WAY THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN. DURING THE FORCED LANDING SUNGLARE IMPAIRED THE PILOT'S VISIONAND THE ACFT TAILWHEEL, SNAGGED A POWERLINE. THE ACFT CAME TO REST INVERTED AND AN ENGINE FIRE DEVELOPED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND AT 1500 RPM WHEN CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED THE RPM INCREASED 100 RPM. WATER IN THE FUEL COULD NOT BE CONFIRMED BECAUSE THE ACFT HAD BEEN INVERTED. THE REASON FOR ENGINE 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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,197 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5,197 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,714 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 24, 1982; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 6F4 Elmdale Airpark TX
- Destination: 6F4 Elmdale Airpark TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
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 N7843 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW83LA107.