Grumman G-164A accident near Hickory Ridge, Arkansas, May 31, 1988
On May 31, 1988 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N9653, was destroyed in an accident near Hickory Ridge, Arkansas (Hess Pvt 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
- May 31, 1988 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hickory Ridge, Arkansas · Hess Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N9653 · no longer on the register · serial 1195
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EXECUTING A STANDARD PROCEDURE AERIAL APPLICATION TURN AROUND MANEUVER, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PLT DUMPED HIS REMAINING CHEMICAL LOAD, BUT ACFT CONTINUED TO SETTLE, AND MUSHED INTO THE TREES. POST ACCIDENT FIRE DESTROYED THE ACFT, BUT THE PLT ESCAPED WITH NO INJURIES. THE PLT SAID THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS DUST DEVILS IN THE AREA AND HE CLASSIFIED THE TURBULENCE AS SEVERE.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 1,978 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,600 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 31, 1988; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: AR50 Wynne AR at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.
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.