Schweizer Aircraft CORP G 164 accident near Cummings, North Dakota, June 17, 2016
On June 17, 2016 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1986 Schweizer Aircraft CORP G 164, registered N36333, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Cummings, North Dakota (Deck 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 an adequate rate of descent while landing, which resulted in a hard landing, short of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2016 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cummings, North Dakota · Deck Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer Aircraft CORP G 164 B, built 1986 · all G 164s on the register
- Registration
- N36333 · registry record · serial 785B
- 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 of the tailwheel-equipped turbine powered airplane reported that while landing, he reduced the power and there was an increased descent rate. The pilot added power but reported that the engine rpm did not have time to accelerate. The airplane touched down about 10 feet short of the runway in tall grass, the right main landing gear sheared off during the impact, the nose of the airplane dropped and the propeller impacted the ground. The airplane rotated to the left and came to a stop in a ditch, sustaining substantial damage to both the wings and their lift struts. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported as a safety recommendation, to allow plenty of runway space in case of a sudden increase in descent rate while landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 265 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 28, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Walter M601-E11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Tractor LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 5ND9 Cummings ND at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 5ND9 Cummings ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MVX, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 20, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photograph (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Preliminary Notice | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.