Grumman G-164A accident near Wynne, Arkansas, March 10, 1989
On March 10, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N6602Q, was destroyed in an accident near Wynne, Arkansas. 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
AN ENGINE FIRE DURING ENGINE START FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wynne, Arkansas · 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
- N6602Q · no longer on the register · serial 1688
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENGINE IN PREPARATION FOR AN AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATION, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND CAUGHT FIRE. BEFORE THE FIRE COULD BE EXTINGUISHED THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY FLAMES. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AND RESPONDED. AS THE FIRE WAS ENGULFING THE FUEL TANK, THE ACFT WAS PULLED AWAY FROM OTHER EQUIPMENT AND HANGAR TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL DAMAGE.
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: 5,500 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1988; 400 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: Wynne AR at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N6602Q 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.