Grumman G-164B accident near Parker, Arizona, July 21, 1988
On July 21, 1988 at about 4:02 am local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N6747Q, was destroyed in an accident near Parker, Arizona. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 21, 1988 · about 4:02 am local time
- Place
- Parker, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6747Q · no longer on the register · serial 260B
- 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 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE PILOT DISPENSED THE LOAD AND WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRSTRIP DUE TO AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM. ENROUTE, THE VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO FROM BLOWING DUST. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,447 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 130 in the last 30 days; 15,360 as pilot in command; 633 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,061 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 15, 1988; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: J. Kamburoff, Aerial Spray INC
The flight
- Departed from: Poston AZ at 3:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.