Schweizer GRUMMAN G-164A accident near Wayland, New York, August 30, 1990
On August 30, 1990 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Schweizer GRUMMAN G-164A, registered N48395, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wayland, 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
A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1990 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wayland, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer GRUMMAN G-164A GRUMMAN G-
- Registration
- N48395 · no longer on the register · serial 1628
- 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 AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF AERIAL APPLICATION, THE AIRPLANE ENGINE 'BEGAN SPUTTERING AND BACKFIRING....THE ENGINE QUIT.' THE PILOT MADE A LEFT TURN TO AVOID OBSTACLES, AND LANDED. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING CONTACTED THE EDGE OF A MATURE CORN FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE SPUN APPROXIMATELY 120 DEGREES BEFORE IT CAME TO A STOP. EXAMINATION OF THE RADIAL ENGINE REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER WHICH EXTENDED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FRONT SPARK PLUG TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE CYLINDER INTAKE PORT; THE AIR FILTER WAS BLOWN THROUGH THE INDUCTION INTAKE. THERE WAS NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,737 hours in all; 3,737 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 8,737 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,655 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1990; 262 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340AN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Wallace NY at 12:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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 N48395 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.