Grumman G-164B accident near Valley Home, California, February 12, 1982
On February 12, 1982, a Grumman G-164B, registered N6659Q, was destroyed in an accident near Valley Home, California (Tremble Ranch 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1982
- Place
- Valley Home, California · Tremble Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6659Q · no longer on the register · serial 186-B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- 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 TAKEOFF, THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON SOFT TERRAIN ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY AND FLIPPED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED WHILE IT WAS BEING MOVED AFTER THE ACCIDENT. REPORTEDLY, FUEL HAD BECOME TRAPPED IN THE FUSELAGE AND THE BATTERY HAD NOT BEEN DISCONNECTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,590 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 2,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,170 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P & W R985-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tremble Ranch CA at 4:29 pm
- Destination: Tremble Ranch CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 122°F (50°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.