Schweizer G-164A accident near Mangham, Louisiana, August 14, 1988
On August 14, 1988 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164A, registered N7234, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mangham, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- August 14, 1988 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mangham, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164A
- Registration
- N7234 · no longer on the register · serial 909
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG AIRPLANE WAS SPRAYING COTTON WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE. PILOT PULLED AIRPLANE UP AND VIBRATION WAS SO BAD POWER HAD TO BE REDUCED. PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A MUDDY FIELD. THE LEFT WING CAUGHT IN TALL GRASS AND AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED. PILOT STATED HE FOUND PROPELLER BROKEN OFF WITH EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING CRACK IN PROP SHAFT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 3,710 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 6,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,335 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1988; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from MLU, 13 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 N7234 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.