Grumman G-164A accident near Rayne, Louisiana, August 14, 1988
On August 14, 1988 at about 4:04 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N979X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rayne, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- August 14, 1988 · about 4:04 pm local time
- Place
- Rayne, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N979X · registry record · serial 657
- 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 THE END OF A SWATH RUN, THE AG PILOT PULLED THE AIRPLANE UP AND TO THE LEFT TO START A TURN-AROUND. THE UPPER LEFT WING STRUCK A STEEL GUY-CABLE OF A 300 FOOT TOWER. THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL TURNS OF AN INVERTED FLAT-SPIN BEFORE WATER IMPACT INTO AN EIGHT FOOT DEEP FARM POND.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during maneuvering - turn to reverse direction
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,657 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 20, 1988; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 FTW88DRD18.