Grumman-Schweizer G-164B accident near Waitsburg, Washington, August 22, 1996
On August 22, 1996 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Grumman-Schweizer G-164B, registered N7501Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waitsburg, Washington (Cropland Whiskey Creek 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain control of the airplane after encountering a whirlwind during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1996 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Waitsburg, Washington · Cropland Whiskey Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman-Schweizer G-164B
- Registration
- N7501Q · registry record · serial 813B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on the landing roll at a private strip, after completion of a spraying operation, the aircraft suddenly veered off of the runway, encountered soft terrain, overturned, and began burning. The pilot reported that there were whirlwinds in the area 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
- Flight time: 3,567 hours in all; 2,580 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,412 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 19, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,000 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from KAL, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N7501Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA96LA200.