Grumman G164B accident near Buttonwillow, California, September 22, 1987
On September 22, 1987 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Grumman G164B, registered N6607Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buttonwillow, 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 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
- September 22, 1987 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Buttonwillow, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164B · all G164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6607Q · no longer on the register · serial 134B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, AFTER PULLING OUT OF A PASS OVER A FIELD THE PLT HEARD A LOUD BANG FOLLOWED BY SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION. THE ACFT LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ACFT NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD MULTIPLE ROD FAILURES, NUMBERS 1,2,3, AND 5.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,444 hours in all; 16,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 19,438 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 33,765 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1987; 531 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Buttonwillow CA at 7:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from BFL
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.
Other NTSB records under N6607Q 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.