Grumman G-164C accident near Willows, California, May 8, 2005
On May 8, 2005 at about 4:16 pm local time, a Grumman G-164C, registered N6535K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willows, California. 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 due to the fractured piston pin boss on the number 5 cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2005 · about 4:16 pm local time
- Place
- Willows, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164C · all G-164Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6535K · registry record · serial 3C
- 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 force landed the airplane in a rice field following a loss of engine power and the main landing gear was sheared off after contacting a berm. While the pilot was seeding rice over a field, the engine lost partial power. The pilot force landed the airplane in a field. During the landing roll, the landing gear impacted a berm and were sheared from their structural attachment points on the airplane. Until the ground impact, the engine was producing partial power, but not enough to sustain flight. Post accident inspection of the engine by the Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator revealed that the number 5 cylinder piston had fractured at the piston pin boss. The piston pin, which is mounted in the piston pin boss and holds the piston to the connecting rod, fell from the boss and the connecting rod was free to rotate. The engine was overhauled about 1,154 hours prior to the accident. The maintenance history on the piston could not be determined based on available records.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,600 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 12,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,721 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2005; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Willows CA at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,800 ft; ovct at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KSAC, 69 miles away
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.