Grumman G-164A accident near Riverton, Wyoming, June 3, 2012
On June 3, 2012 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N5291, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Riverton, Wyoming (Hidden Valley 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
The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll and his deliberate application of excessive braking pressure, which resulted in a noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2012 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Riverton, Wyoming · Hidden Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N5291 · registry record · serial 572
- 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, who was flying a tailwheel-equipped agricultural aerial application airplane, was landing on a dirt airstrip in order to take on a load of application chemical. After he landed on the main gear and lowered the tailwheel to the surface, the airplane started to veer toward the side of the runway. The pilot was unable to keep the airplane from departing the side of the runway, and, because it was heading toward a big gully, he applied as much braking force as possible. As he applied the braking force, the airplane nosed over onto its back, which resulted in substantial damage to the upper wing and the vertical stabilizer. According to the pilot, there was no malfunction or anomaly associated with the airplane's directional control system or its braking system.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 23 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sky Aviation CORP
The flight
- Departed from: KRIW Riveerton WY at 11:30 am
- Destination: N/A Riverton WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.