Schweizer G-164A accident near Robbins, California, March 4, 1995
On March 4, 1995 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164A, registered N5450, was substantially damaged in an accident near Robbins, 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
A failure of the engine master rod. A factor in the accident was the soft, wet condition of the field available for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1995 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Robbins, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer G-164A
- Registration
- N5450 · registry record · serial 1160
- 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 SAID THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE LANDED IN THE ONLY AVAILABLE FIELD, WHICH WAS SOFT AND WET. DURING THE GROUND ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE CASE NEAR THE NUMBER 5 CYLINDER SKIRT. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE MASTER ROD HAD FAILED.
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: 5,350 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 5,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,797 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 18, 1995; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CA18 CA at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N5450 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.