Grumman G-164A accident near Kinder, Louisiana, July 20, 1984
On July 20, 1984 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N8548H, was destroyed in an accident near Kinder, 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 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
- July 20, 1984 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kinder, Louisiana · 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
- N8548H · no longer on the register · serial 1412
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HEAVILY LOADED ACFT WAS TURNED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PLT STARTED TO DUMP THE LOAD BUT THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES DURING THE ATTEMPT AND CRASHED. THE ACFT WAS LOADED WITH FERTILIZER AND NEARLY FULL OF FUEL. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 90 DEGREES. THE PLT SAID HE SHOULD HAVE CLIMBED HIGHER BEFORE STARTING TO TURN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,010 hours in all; 14,000 in this make and model; 305 in the last 90 days; 16,910 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,503 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 25, 1984; 598 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Kinder LA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from LCH, 25 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 N8548H 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.