Grumman G-164 accident near Princeton, California, July 11, 1983
On July 11, 1983 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N9707, was destroyed in an accident near Princeton, California (Lambertville 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
- July 11, 1983 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Princeton, California · Lambertville · 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
- N9707 · no longer on the register · serial 1206
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING AND WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE DURING A SPRAYING OPERATION. THE PLT STATED THAT HIS FLAGGER SAW BLACK SMOKE DURING THE PULL-UP. THE SMOKE TURNED WHITE AND WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE STACKS. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED THAT #3 CYLINDER HEAD HAD SEPARATED ABOVE THE CYLINDER BARRELTHERE WAS NO INDICATION OF FIRE OR IMPACT DAMAGE IN THAT AREA.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,850 hours in all; 3,805 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 15, 1983; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.