Grumman G-164A accident near Durham, California, July 17, 1985
On July 17, 1985 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N7853, was destroyed in an accident near Durham, California (Mcroe 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 17, 1985 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Durham, California · Mcroe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N7853 · no longer on the register · serial 801
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AG FLIGHT IN WHICH A COMPOUND CONTAINING SULFUR DUST WAS BEING SPRAYED A FIRE BEGAN IN THE ACFT'S SPRAY APPARATUS. THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH HEAVY SMOKE & THE PLT MADE A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LDG IN THE UNDERLYING FIELD. THE FIRE SPREAD & EVENTUALLY CONSUMED THE ACFT. PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF THE FIRE, THE PLT DID NOT REPORT EXPERIENCING ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WITH THE ACFT. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT ASCERTAINED.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,050 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 286 in the last 90 days; 4,938 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,117 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 8, 1985; 175 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Durham CA at 12:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.