Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A accident near Madera, California, April 23, 2010
On April 23, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, registered N4450, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Madera, California. It was a positioning 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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Madera, California · 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-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N4450 · registry record · serial 1048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was ferrying the newly-purchased agricultural airplane to his home airport. Approximately 1 hour since fueling, the engine lost power. Despite the pilot's attempts to restart the engine, he was forced to land the airplane in an agricultural field. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have resulted in a loss of engine 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 (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,932 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 11,835 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 24, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 2010; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,020 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney PT-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1O3 Lodi CA at 6:20 pm
- Destination: FCH Fresno CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from KMAE, 2 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.
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.