Grumman G-164A accident near Ville Platte, Louisiana, May 23, 1995
On May 23, 1995 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N48538, was substantially damaged 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CLEAR A LEVEE DURING THE APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS A TRUCK PARKED ON THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1995 · about 9:30 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
- N48538 · no longer on the register · serial 1667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON APPROACH TO THE 1,400-FT GRASS AIRSTRIP, THE AIRCRAFT'S LOWER RIGHT WING STRUCK A LEVEE '...PULLING [IT] DOWN AND TO THE RIGHT....' THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER IN A BORDERING DITCH. DUE TO A SERVICING TRUCK PARKED ON THE APPROACH END OF THE STRIP THE PILOT COULD NOT MAKE A STRAIGHT-IN APPROACH AND MADE AN OFF-SET APPROACH.
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: 6,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 5,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,400 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.