Grumman 164A accident near Poplar Bluff, Missouri, July 19, 1988
On July 19, 1988 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Grumman 164A, registered N8706H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Poplar Bluff, Missouri. 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
- July 19, 1988 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar Bluff, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman 164A
- Registration
- N8706H · no longer on the register · serial 1481
- 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 EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. ALTITUDE WAS NOT ADEQUATE TO SELECT A SUITABLE FORCED LANDING AREA. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A PIPELINE RIGHT OF WAY AND CAME TO REST IN A SMALL STREAM, INVERTED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR FLOAT SUPPORT BRACKET SHAFT WAS LOOSE.
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: 3,200 hours in all; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,661 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 16, 1988; 160 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rh & Rh INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from CGI, 84 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.