Grumman G-164A accident near Ville Platte, Louisiana, May 2, 1990
On May 2, 1990 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N8938H, was destroyed in an accident near Ville Platte, Louisiana. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A CRACKED NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER INTAKE ROCKER BOX HOUSING. THE LACK OF A SUITABLE FORCED LANDING SITE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1990 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ville Platte, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N8938H · no longer on the register · serial 1366
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG PILOT WAS SPREADING SEED RICE ON THE FIELD, AND DURING THE SECOND PASS, THE ENGINE STOPPED, THEN RESUMED POWER. THIS OCCURRED 2 MORE TIMES. THE PILOT TIRED TO GET TO A ROAD FOR A FORCED LANDING, BUT HAD TO LAND IN A FLOODED RICE FIELD. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED FORWARD TO THE INVERTED POSITION. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEMOLISHED, BUT THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. AFTER RECOVERY, THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE ROCKER BOX HOUSING WAS FOUND TO BE CRACKED.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,768 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 11,511 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,092 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1989; 280 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N8938H 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.