Schweizer G164B accident near Verona, California, August 19, 1991
On August 19, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Schweizer G164B, registered N7501K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Verona, 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION TO DEPART FROM A RUNWAY WITH HIGH VEGETATION ALONG THE EDGE AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Verona, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G164B
- Registration
- N7501K · registry record · serial 802B
- 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 CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS DEPARTING A SMALL AIRSTRIP ON THE FOURTH FLIGHT OF THE DAY TO APPLY CHEMICALS TO NEARBY RICE FIELDS. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID A CLUMP OF WEEDS AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE AIRSTRIP. DURING THE MANEUVER, THE LEFT WING STRUCK VEGETATION ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STRIP, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO SWERVE INTO AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK A SMALL BERM AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS NOT VALID FOR THE OPERATION.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 6,500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 7,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1991; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Farm Air Flying Service
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from SMF, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N7501K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX91LA362.