Grumman G-164A accident near Eloy, Arizona, July 15, 1989
On July 15, 1989 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N5252, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eloy, Arizona (Eloy "Y" 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
INAEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, DUE TO VERY LITTLE FUEL REMAINING IN THE TANKS. THE ROUGH/UNEVEN DESERT TERRAIN WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1989 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Eloy, Arizona · Eloy "Y"
- 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
- N5252 · no longer on the register · serial 538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG TAKEOFF, ON A FLT TO MOVE THE ACFT TO ANOTHER LOCATION, THE ENG LOST POWER. THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 150 FT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT NOSED OVER DRG AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON DESERT TERRAIN. IN AN INTERVIEW AFTER THE ACDNT, THE PLT RPRTD THERE WAS ENOUGH FUEL ON BOARD THE ACFT TO REACH THE DESTN. HOWEVER, WHEN IT WAS EXAMINED AFTER THE ACDNT, VERY LITTLE FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING IN THE FUEL TANKS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1989; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 86°F (30°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.