Grumman-Schweizer G164-B accident near Garwood, Texas, May 8, 1999
On May 8, 1999 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G164-B, registered N6771K, was destroyed in an accident near Garwood, Texas (Aero-Ag Services, INC airport). 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 maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall. A related factor was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1999 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Garwood, Texas · Aero-Ag Services, INC · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman-Schweizer G164-B
- Registration
- N6771K · no longer on the register · serial 460B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff initial climb, the pilot turned the airplane (airspeed 30-40 knots) and the airplane 'cleared a 25 foot power line, stalled, and fell into a rice field.' The agricultural aircraft was loaded with 1,400 pounds of corn seed prior to the departure on the west runway (3,300 feet long; 2,500 feet usable). The airplane was destroyed by a post impact fire. Throughout the area winds were from the east southeast at 4-10 knots with the temperature from 88-91 degrees Fahrenheit. Density altitude was calculated at 2,546 feet.
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: 5,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 22, 1999; 80 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-25AA (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.