Grumman G-164B accident near Fouke, Arkansas, August 4, 1992
On August 4, 1992 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N3630U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fouke, Arkansas (None airport). 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
THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR TAKEOFF. FACTORS WERE THE TREES AND THE SOFT FIELD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1992 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fouke, Arkansas · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3630U · registry record · serial 760B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TAKEOFF FROM A SOFT GRASS STRIP WITH A FULL LOAD OF CHEMICALS THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ATTAIN THE REQUIRED AIRSPEED TO EFFECT LIFT OFF. IN AN ATTEMPT TO RAPIDLY LOSE WEIGHT AND GAIN AIRSPEED THE PILOT DUMPED HIS CHEMICALS. THE LOSS OF THE WEIGHT OF CHEMICALS DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO GAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND WITH THE LIMITED RUNWAY AVAILABLE HIS RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE. FOLLOWING THE TREE STRIKE WITH THE RIGHT WING THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE WENT OUT OF CONTROL.
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
- Flight time: 9,400 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 9,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1992; 366 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,759 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 6:00 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,640 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from TXK, 14 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 N3630U 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.