Grumman G-164B accident near Midvale, Idaho, June 5, 2004
On June 5, 2004 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Grumman G-164B, registered N8440K, was destroyed in an accident near Midvale, Idaho. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the high tension powerline. A factor was the powerline.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 2004 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Midvale, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8440K · no longer on the register · serial 694B1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While spraying a field from east to west and working under high tension powerlines, which ran diagonally across the field from the southeast to the northwest, the aircraft impacted one of the powerlines that was lower than the others. The aircraft impacted terrain and was subsequently destroyed as it was consumed by fire.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,055 hours in all; 11,049 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 17,566 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1349 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 0U9 Midvale ID at 1:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from ONO, 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 N8440K 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.