Schweizer G-164C accident near Bayless, California, February 3, 1989
On February 3, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164C, registered N6569K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bayless, California (Private 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 DEPARATION OF A TURBINE BLADE FOLLOWED BY A FORCED LANDING DURING WHICH THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DUE TO OVERLOAD FORCES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bayless, California · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164C
- Registration
- N6569K · registry record · serial 5C
- 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 CRUISE FLIGHT, N6569K EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FLAMES AND PIECES OF METAL WERE OBSERVED COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST PIPE OF THE PRATT & WHITNEY PT6A TURBINE ENGINE. THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. DURING POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT A PIECE FROM ONE OF THE TURBINE BLADES SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE REMAINING TURBINE ASSEMBLIES DOWN STREAM.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 8,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 5, 1988; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Glenn CA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°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.