Grumman G-164A accident near Dayton, Washington, March 25, 2008
On March 25, 2008 at about 4:21 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N48629, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Dayton, Washington (Private Road 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed. A contributing factor was the sudden windshift.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2008 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Washington · Private Road · 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
- N48629 · no longer on the register · serial 1683
- 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 returning to the operations base after an aerial fertilizer application. He was landing to the north, and noted that the wind was coming from the west. As he flared the airplane to land, the wind shifted to a strong, quartering tailwind. The airplane touched down on the runway, bounced, and then nosed over. During the accident sequence, the right wing sustained damage and the vertical stabilizer was crushed. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 8,700 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cropland Air Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Dayton WA
- Destination: Dayton WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.