Grumman G-164 accident near Thibodaux, Louisiana, August 17, 1992
On August 17, 1992 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N8916H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thibodaux, Louisiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE WIRES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1992 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Thibodaux, Louisiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164 · all G-164s on the register
- Registration
- N8916H · registry record · serial 1613
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING A CANE FIELD AND ON THE SEVENTH SWATH RUN STRUCK POWERLINE WIRES AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED TO IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES UNTIL THE IMPACT. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE TO HIS AIRPLANE BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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 - aerial application
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 2,171 hours in all; 782 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 1,899 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,240 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, April 10, 1992; 36 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
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°C, dew point 0°C
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N8916H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW92DRD05.