Grumman G-164-A accident near Madisonville, Kentucky, October 4, 1993
On October 4, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164-A, registered N9909, was destroyed in an accident near Madisonville, Kentucky. 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 pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and his inadequate visual lookout in flight which resulted in the collision with wires.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Madisonville, Kentucky · map
- 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
- N9909 · no longer on the register · serial 1330
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION FLIGHT STRUCK ONE OF A GROUP OF THREE WIRES WHICH CROSSED THE FLIGHT PATH. THE WIRE BROKE AND ATTACHED TO THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRPLANE DECELERATED, STRUCK TREES, NOSED OVER AND IMPACTED THE GROUND WHERE A POST ACCIDENT FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT BEFORE THE FLIGHT, HE SURVEYED THE AREA FOR OBSTACLES AND NOTICED WIRES THAT HE LATER PARALLELED DURING THE FLIGHT. HOWEVER, DURING THE SURVEY, HE DID NOT NOTICE THE WIRES THAT HE LATER ENCOUNTERED INFLIGHT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,990 hours in all; 7,890 in this make and model; 124 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 8,290 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,488 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1993; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8M9 Providence KY at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 9I1 Morganfield KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from OWB, 27 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.