Grumman G-164A accident near Woodsboro, Texas, May 31, 1997
On May 31, 1997 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N842KG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woodsboro, Texas. 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 loss of engine power as result of fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane. A factor was the unsuitable terrain available for the pilot to execute the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1997 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Woodsboro, Texas · 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
- N842KG · no longer on the register · serial 1333
- 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 operator stated that when he briefed the pilot on the day's mission, he told the pilot that the airplane was serviced with about one hour of fuel which was enough to spray the first field. The airplane departed on the first flight of the day from the operator's private airstrip with 125 gallons of pesticides. While spraying his second field, as he started the pull up for the turn to reverse direction, the engine 'began sputtering and coughing and continued to lose power.' The pilot elected to land on the cultivated field adjacent to a road in order to avoid power lines. During the landing roll on the waist high Milo field, the main landing gear tires sank in the soft ground and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest in the inverted position. Examination of the fuel system revealed that both fuel cells were dry and there was no evidence of fuel spill or leak near the wreckage. Examination of the engine did not provide any evidence of pre-existing anomalies that would have contributed to the loss of engine power. The pilot did not complete the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2.
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: 1,600 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.
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.