Schweizer G-164B accident near Yuba City, California, February 9, 1991
On February 9, 1991 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164B, registered N3633B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yuba City, 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 FAILURE OF THE NO. 5 CYLINDER DUE TO FATIGUE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE WET TERRAIN AND CROPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1991 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Yuba City, California · 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
- N3633B · no longer on the register · serial 775B
- 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 HAD JUST COMPLETED AN AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION OVER THE RICE CROPS. WHEN HE WAS NEGOTIATING A 90/270 DEGREE REVERSAL TURN FOR ANOTHER AERIAL APPLICATION THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL DUE TO THE WET RICE FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE NO. 5 CYLINDER CRACKED DUE TO FATIGUE.
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: 8,000 hours in all; 4,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1990; 442 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Onstott Dusters INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°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 N3633B 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.