Grumman G164 accident near Bayside, Texas, April 30, 1992
On April 30, 1992 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Grumman G164, registered N468RF, was destroyed in an accident near Bayside, Texas. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 1992 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bayside, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164 · all G164s on the register
- Registration
- N468RF · no longer on the register · serial 213
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AGRICULTURAL PILOT WAS MANEUVERING HIS AIRPLANE TO SET UP TO SPRAY A COTTON FIELD WHEN HE STRUCK A GUY WIRE ON A RADIO TOWER. HE HAD NOT SEEN THE TOWER DURING THE LEFT TURNING MANEUVER. HE DID SEE THE GUY WIRE WHEN HE ROLLED THE AIRPLANE LEVEL AND COULD NOT AVOID IT. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 15,500 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RFG Refugio TX at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from CRP, 20 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.
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.