Grumman-Schweizer G-164A accident near Dodge City, Kansas, April 1, 1987
On April 1, 1987 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164A, registered N48564, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dodge City, Kansas (Dodge City Muni airport). 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
- April 1, 1987 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Dodge City, Kansas · Dodge City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164A
- Registration
- N48564 · no longer on the register · serial 1675
- 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 STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY WHEN HE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RWY 32. WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST AT 25 KTS, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, SO HE ABANDONED THE APPROACH AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CIRCLING THE FIELD FOR A LANDING ON RWY 02 WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER. ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC-WITNESS ON THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE 'SOUNDED BAD--LIKE A BLOWER FAILURE', AS IT FLEW OVER THE HANGAR WHILE CIRCLING FOR ANOTHER APPROACH. AT THIS POINT, THE WITNESS FURTHER STATED, THE ENGINE BEGAN BELCHING SMOKE AND TOTALLY LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A RETURN TO THE FIELD BUT HE RAN OUT OF ALTITUDE--AND WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED UPON TOUCHDOWN, THEN NOSED OVER. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE POWERPLANT REVEALED THAT A BLOWER BEARING 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 2,234 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 2,073 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DDC Dodge City KS at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:37 pm from DDC, 8 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 N48564 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.