Grumman G164A accident near Bernie, Missouri, July 3, 1984
On July 3, 1984 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Grumman G164A, registered N4796, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bernie, Missouri. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 3, 1984 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bernie, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164A · all G164As on the register
- Registration
- N4796 · no longer on the register · serial 1100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DESCENDING OUT OF THE PROCEDURE TURN INTO A SWATH RUN THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LEVEL THE ACFT IN TIME TO AVOID FLYING INTO THE BEAN FIELD. THE ACFT NOSED OVER ON IMPACT AND CAUGHT FIRE. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 2,800 FT. ACFT GROSS WEIGHT WAS APRX 5,500 POUNDS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT.
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: 6,200 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 400 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 5,727 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Bernie MO at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from CGI, 38 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.
Other NTSB records under N4796 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.