Grumman 164-B accident near Garwood, Texas, May 25, 1990
On May 25, 1990 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Grumman 164-B, registered N9982, was destroyed in an accident near Garwood, Texas. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE POWER LOSS DUE TO SUPER CHARGER IMPELLER FAILURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1990 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Garwood, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman 164-B
- Registration
- N9982 · registry record · serial 1378
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE EXPEREINCED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OVER THE FIELD HE WAS SPRAYING. HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING IN A WET SOFT ADJACENT RICE FIELD, RESULTING IN A NOSEOVER. ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED FAILURE OF THE SUPERCHARGER IMPELLER SHAFT BEARINGS, WHICH CAUSED FAILURE OF THE SUPERCHARGER IMPELLER. FAILED PARTS CONTAMINATED THE AIR INTAKE SYSTEM CAUSING THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES TO BE WEDGED OPEN.
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
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(PARTIAL) - MECH FAILURE/MALF during maneuvering - aerial application
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- NOSE OVER during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 1, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 5,700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
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 FTW90DRA05.