Schweizer G-164A accident near Maxie, Louisiana, May 23, 1989
On May 23, 1989 at about 7:08 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164A, registered N48467, was destroyed in an accident near Maxie, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PRESENCE OF TREES NEAR THE FIELD WHERE FERTILIZER WAS TO BE DISPENSED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1989 · about 7:08 pm local time
- Place
- Maxie, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164A
- Registration
- N48467 · no longer on the register · serial 1648
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS BEING USED ON A FLT TO SPREAD FERTILIZER. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED IN AN AREA OF DENSE TREES NEAR THE EDGE OF A FIELD. THE 1ST IMPACT WITH TREES WAS AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 55' AGL, WHICH SHEARED OFF A 9' BRANCH FROM A TREE. THE ACFT CONTD 43' & HIT TREES AGAIN, ABOUT 31' AGL, & SHEARED OFF TWO 12' BRANCHES. IT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & CAME TO REST ABOUT 85' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS TRAVELING AT A MODERATE SPEED WHEN IT 1ST HIT THE TREES. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENG WAS OPERATING NORMALLY BEFORE IMPACT. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND, EXCEPT THAT CONTINUITY OF THE ENG SUPERCHARGER DRIVE WAS DISRUPTED; THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL WHETHER THE SUPERCHARGER CONTINUITY HAD FAILED BEFORE OR AFTER IMPACT. THE ACFT'S HOPPER WAS FULLY LOADED WITH FERTILIZER WHEN THE ACFT CRASHED.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 1989; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Maxie LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.