Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B accident near Colfax, Washington, February 18, 2010
On February 18, 2010 at about 4:38 pm local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164B, registered N6774Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Colfax, Washington (Port Of Whitman 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 partial loss of engine power due to carburetor ice 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 18, 2010 · about 4:38 pm local time
- Place
- Colfax, Washington · Port Of Whitman · 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
- N6774Q · registry record · serial 284B
- 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 departing for the first aerial application flight of the day and the airplane was loaded with fertilizer. The pilot did not apply carburetor heat during the ground idle or taxi. He stated that during the takeoff roll, the engine did not produce normal power. He attempted to dump the fertilizer before the airplane collided with terrain in a nearby field. Post accident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies. Review of the carburetor icing probability chart revealed that the temperature and dew point, 8 and -1 degrees Celsius respectively, were conducive to serious icing conditions at glide 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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,694 hours in all; 1,623 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: December 12, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 2009; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tlc Flying INC
The flight
- Departed from: S94 Colfax WA at 4:46 pm
- Destination: S94 Colfax WA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25, 3,209 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PUW, 14 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 N6774Q 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.