Schweizer Aircraft Corp G164B accident near Byron, California, February 23, 2010
On February 23, 2010 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Schweizer Aircraft Corp G164B, registered N8494K, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Byron, California (Haley F.S. Airstrip 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
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2010 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Byron, California · Haley F.S. Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer Aircraft Corp G164B · all G164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8494K · registry record · serial 713B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an aerial application flight, the pilot initiated a turn back toward the airstrip. The airplane's engine started to run rough and lose power. The pilot turned the airplane into the wind and initiated a forced landing into a deeply furrowed field. As the airplane touched down the landing gear sunk into the soft ground and the airplane nosed over, coming to a rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the airframe and an engine test run revealed no anomalies. The nearest weather reporting station reported a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius (C) and a dew point of 7 degrees C at the time of the accident. Review of the carburetor icing probability chart revealed that this temperature and dew point were conducive to serious icing at cruise power.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not specified
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,581 hours in all; 631 in this make and model; 2,199 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 2009; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Haley Flying Service, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: Tracy CA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from LVK, 12 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N8494K 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.