Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B accident near Pullman, Washington, January 30, 2010
On January 30, 2010 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B, registered N6799K, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Pullman, Washington (Pullman-Moscow Regional airport). It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
A partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to a bird's nest being sucked into the induction air ducting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2010 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pullman, Washington · Pullman-Moscow Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B · all G-164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6799K · no longer on the register · serial 493 B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Due to the cold temperatures on the morning of the flight, the pilot followed the “Cold Weather Engine Operation” procedures in the Ag-Cat pilot handbook. Because those procedures called for the engine oil and cylinder head temperatures to reach a minimum level before takeoff, the pilot had run the engine on the ground for about 30 minutes prior to performing the pre-takeoff run-up check. During that check he exercised the carburetor heat system, which worked as prescribed. During the long run-up, a bird’s nest became dislodged and was sucked into the area near the carburetor inlet screen during the carburetor heat test. The condition of the nest remains indicated that during the increased volume and velocity air flow during takeoff, the nest partially disintegrated and ultimately covered a significant portion of the inlet screen surface. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who monitored the engine inspection, the nest was located inside the warm air pick-up ducting, which is an area that the pilot would not normally see into or check unless there was external visual evidence to indicate the need for a further inspection.
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 engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Damaged/degraded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command; 385 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 4, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,712 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 2008
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P & W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pleasant Valley Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KPUW Pullman WA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: KPUW Pullman WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
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.