Grumman G-164B accident near Beaumont, Texas, July 11, 1987
On July 11, 1987 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N6881K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaumont, Texas (Mitchell Field). It was a positioning 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 11, 1987 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beaumont, Texas · Mitchell Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6881K · registry record · serial 510B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN LOSING RPM & THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. HE SELECTED A PASTURE AREA FOR AN EMERG LANDING, BUT THE ENG CONTD LOSING POWER. WHILE LANDING ON SOFT TERRAIN WITH TALL WET GRASS, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED A BLOWER BEARING HAD FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN THE PROGRESSIVE LOSS OF POWER.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,679 hours in all; 5,116 in this make and model; 305 in the last 90 days; 118 in the last 30 days; 6,583 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,650 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 10, 1987; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,636 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: T78 Liberty TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 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.
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.