Grumman G-164 accident near Blythe, California, November 10, 1988
On November 10, 1988 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Grumman G-164, registered N10219, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blythe, 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
- November 10, 1988 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Blythe, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164 · all G-164s on the register
- Registration
- N10219 · no longer on the register · serial 19
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON A 'SPRAY PASS.' HE THEN EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD AND NOSED OVER AFTER TOUCHDOWN IN A COTTON FIELD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN ELBOW FITTING CONNECTING THE MAIN FUEL SUPPLY LINE AND THE CARBURETOR WAS SHEARED.
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
- Flight time: 11,050 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1988; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 12 Blythe CA at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.
Other NTSB records under N10219 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.