Schweizer G-164B accident near Live Oak, California, June 15, 1994
On June 15, 1994 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164B, registered N8392K, was destroyed in an accident near Live Oak, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REMAIN CLEAR OF POWER LINES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO USE OF DRUGS THAT WERE NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1994 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Live Oak, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164B
- Registration
- N8392K · no longer on the register · serial 682B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING A CLEANUP MANEUVER AFTER HIS SEVENTH PASS OVER THE FIELD. DURING THE PASS, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW UNDER A SET OF POWER LINES, THEN COLLIDED WITH A SECOND SET OF LINES. THE POWER LINES WERE PERPENDICULAR TO THE FLIGHTPATH, AND THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. VISIBILITY WAS UNRESTRICTED. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED: 0.197 UG/ML OF FLUOXETINE, 0.087 UG/ML OF NORFLUOXETINE, AND 0.016 UG/ML OF METHAMPHETAMINE; AMPHETAMINE WAS ALSO DETECTED IN HIS BLOOD. A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED: 1.578 UG/ML OF METHAMPHETAMINE AND 0.229 UG/ML OF AMPHETAMINE; FLUOXETINE AND NORFLUOXETINE WERE ALSO DETECTED IN HIS URINE.
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: 6,000 hours in all; 300 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 20, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:46 pm from MYV
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.