Grumman G-164 accident near Butte City, California, May 6, 2008
On May 6, 2008 at about 1:10 am local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N703Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Butte City, 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
A total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to verify the fuel quantity prior to flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2008 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Butte City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164 · all G-164s on the register
- Registration
- N703Y · no longer on the register · serial 269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Seconds after taking off for an aerial agricultural application flight, the airplane lost all engine power while about 15 feet above the ground. The pilot made a forced landing in a field and the airplane impacted a berm during the landing roll, nosed over, and came to rest in water. Recovery personnel reported finding little evidence of fuel in the area surrounding the airplane, and no fuel in the airplane's tanks. The pilot and operator reported that the airplane should have had 30 gallons of fuel on board during its last refueling, which occurred three application flights prior to the accident flight. The operator also reported that they did not keep fueling records of the individual fueling events when flying from remote locations and an exact amount could not be determined. The Federal Aviation Administration coordinator examined the engine and accessories. He reported finding no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during initial climb defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 8, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,591 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 2008; 34 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Chuck Jones Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Butte City CA at 1:09 am
- Destination: NONE Butte City CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N703Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.