Grumman G-164A accident near Clarkson, New York, April 30, 1983
On April 30, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N5309, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarkson, New York. 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
- April 30, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Clarkson, New York
- 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
- N5309 · no longer on the register · serial 592
- 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 WAS DIVERTING FROM THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE TO AN ALTERNATE ARPT BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE WEATHER. THE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED WAS SO SEVERE, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, THAT HE LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT. PARTIAL CONTROL WAS REGAINED BUT TOO LATE TO AVOID GROUND CONTACT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,550 hours in all; 1,550 in this make and model; 3,450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,527 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1983; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: P/T Clarkson NY at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:51 am from ROC, 15 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 N5309 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.