Grumman G-164-A accident near Toms River, New Jersey, May 25, 2000
On May 25, 2000 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164-A, registered N910X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toms River, New Jersey. 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 failure of the number 9 cylinder connecting rod, due to a primer leak initiation of a partial hydraulic lock. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable terrain, to which the forced landing had to be made.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2000 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Toms River, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164-A · all G-164-As on the register
- Registration
- N910X · no longer on the register · serial 502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the third aerial application pass, the airplane's engine developed a severe vibration, then seized. The pilot dropped the chemical load, turned the airplane into the wind, and made a forced landing into a cranberry bog. Afterwards, the pilot reported that had he had felt no binding when he pulled the propeller through, to check for hydraulic lock during the preflight. He also stated that the airplane hadn't seemed to be developing full power for about a week prior to the accident. During the post-accident engine teardown, an upper (number 9) cylinder was removed, and a broken connecting rod was found. Metallurgical examination of the connecting rod fragments revealed well-defined crack arrest positions, indicative of fatigue, on the smaller fragment. The fracture features within the fatigue region were relatively uneven, and in several locations, the fatigue crack appeared to have extended in overstress. There were no visible metallurgical defects in the initiation area. The larger fragment contained features typical of an overstress. According Advisory Circular 65-12A, a partial hydraulic lock could cause a 'slightly bent connecting rod,' which could go unnoticed, but would be 'sure to fail later.' Upper cylinders on high wing aircraft have been known to be susceptible to hydraulic lock due to a leaking fuel primer.
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: 1,700 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,575 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,268 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 25, 2000; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Chatsworth NJ at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from NEL, 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.
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.