Schweizer G-164B accident near Robbins, California, July 30, 1988
On July 30, 1988 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164B, registered N3633C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Robbins, California (Private Dirt Strip 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 30, 1988 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Robbins, California · Private Dirt Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164B
- Registration
- N3633C · registry record · serial 776B
- 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 LANDING ROLL, AFTER AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE SPRAYBOOM BECAME ENTANGLED IN WEEDS. THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED AND NOSED OVER. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS OF THE AIRPLANE 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 11,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,301 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1988; 335 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Suffer City CA at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,280 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from MYV, 12 miles away
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 N3633C 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.