Grumman G-164A accident near Vineland, New Jersey, July 23, 2006
On July 23, 2006 at about 10:45 am local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N6620Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vineland, New Jersey (Vineland-Downstown Airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to foreign object damage for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the furrowed field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2006 · about 10:45 am local time
- Place
- Vineland, New Jersey · Vineland-Downstown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N6620Q · registry record · serial 1693
- 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 he had made approximately 400 aerial application flights with the airplane during the spray season, with no indications of any malfunctions. On the day of the accident, the pilot noted no anomalies during the preflight inspection or prior to takeoff. After takeoff, the pilot initiated a climbing right turn, and at approximately 100 feet above ground level, he heard a loud "bang," quickly followed by a total loss of engine power. After the loss of engine power, the pilot jettisoned the spray load that was onboard and landed straight ahead, in a plowed field. After touching down firmly, the airplane rolled out for a short distance, and then nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed evidence consistent with ingestion of a foreign object, impingement damage. Further examination, however, did not reveal any evidence of breakage or missing components, and the intake screen which was upstream of the discovered damage was in-place and not compromised. According to maintenance records, the last maintenance performed on the engine occurred 10.9 hours prior to the accident, and at the time of the accident, the engine had accrued 899 hours of operation since its most recent overhaul.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 15,000 as pilot in command; 750 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,504.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2006; 159.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 28N Vineland NJ at 10:45 am
- Destination: 28N
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from MIV, 12 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 N6620Q 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.