Grumman G-164A accident near Tekoa, Washington, June 21, 1990
On June 21, 1990 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N29SK, was destroyed in an accident near Tekoa, Washington (Faunce AG Strip airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE AIRPLANE AND TALL GRASS ADJACENT TO THE GRAVEL STRIP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1990 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tekoa, Washington · Faunce AG Strip · map
- 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
- N29SK · no longer on the register · serial 1354
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROACHING THE PRIVATE DIRT STRIP WITH A CROSSWIND. THE PILOT HAD THE RIGHT WING LOW TO COMPENSATE FOR THE CROSSWIND. WHEN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, THE LOW RIGHT WING SPRAY BOOM CAUGHT IN THE TALL GRASS NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE SPUN AROUND AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE FUEL TANKS RUPTURED AND THE FUEL IGNITED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 11,526 hours in all; 2,305 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 11,431 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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 N29SK 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.