Grumman G-164A accident near Muleshoe, Texas, August 30, 1997
On August 30, 1997 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N9807, was substantially damaged in an accident near Muleshoe, Texas. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to see the standpipe in time to avoid an accident (inadequate visual lookout), and his failure to maintain clearance with electrical wires, while maneuvering during an aerial application flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1997 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Muleshoe, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N9807 · no longer on the register · serial 1267
- 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 reported that during an aerial application flight, he had almost completed 'cleaning the edges of his field,' when the accident occurred. He reported that near the end of a swath run over this particular field, there was a bundle of four electrical wires, approximately 20-25 feet above ground level. He said that he normally flew over these wires, but on the afternoon of the accident, he elected to fly under them. As the pilot maneuvered to fly under the wires, he observed a standpipe on the opposite side of the wires. The pilot was forced to make a decision to hit either the wires or the standpipe; he elected to hit the wires. The aircraft initially contacted the wires with the left wing, knocking over a pole, which the electrical wires were connected to. The aircraft cartwheeled approximately three times and came to rest in a near inverted position.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1996; 400 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 245° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.