Schweizer G-164B accident near Homestead, Florida, February 24, 1986
On February 24, 1986 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Schweizer G-164B, registered N3629J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1986 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · 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
- N3629J · registry record · serial 747B
- 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 PLT STATED THAT SHE HAD COMPLETED ONE SPRAY PASS WITH ONE TON OF FERTILIZER ABOARD & PULLED UP IN A TURN TO ABOUT 200 FT. AT THAT TIME THE ACFT 'HIT A POCKET OF DEAD AIR.' THE ACFT NOSED DOWN AND ALTHOUGH THE PLT DUMPED THE CHEMICAL LOAD, SHE COULD NOT RECOVER IN TIME TO AVOID THE CRASH.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3X5 at 8:30 pm
- Destination: EX5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MIA, 14 miles away
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.