Grumman G164 - A accident near Caruthers, California, February 28, 2014
On February 28, 2014 at about 5:55 pm local time, a 1972 Grumman G164 - A, registered N72ES, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Caruthers, California (Kenny'S Cropdusting 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
An undetected fatigue crack in the landing gear leg, which initiated at an electrical arc-induced damage site of undetermined origin and resulted in landing gear failure. Contributing to the severity of damage to the airplane was the close proximity of an embankment to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2014 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Caruthers, California · Kenny'S Cropdusting · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G164 - A, built 1972 · all G164 - As on the register
- Registration
- N72ES · no longer on the register · serial 958
- 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 completed his third aerial application sortie of the day in the airplane, and was returning for landing on the paved private airstrip. On touchdown, the pilot heard a "huge bang," and the airplane began to roll right wing down. The pilot tried to correct with aileron, but as the airplane slowed, its right wing contacted the ground. The airplane veered to the right, departed the paved surface, and struck an embankment that bordered the runway, which caused the airplane to nose over. The airplane came to rest inverted, partially down the embankment. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear leg had fractured and separated near the upper bend just below the fuselage. Laboratory analysis revealed that the leg failure was the result of a fatigue crack that went undetected until the remaining material was insufficiently strong to sustain the landing load. The fatigue crack originated at the site of electrical arc damage to the gear leg. Possible mechanisms for the arc damage included a power line strike, a lightning strike, improper grounding during weld repairs to the airframe, or processing damage during overhaul of the landing gear. Because the gear leg was heat-treated, the airplane manufacturer prohibited welding of the leg. The presence and condition of paint on the gear leg's surface at the site of the arc damage indicated that the damage occurred before the paint was applied and that the gear leg had not been painted in the recent past. Finding paint covering the damage raises questions about what inspections were performed on the gear leg and the efficacy of the inspections; however, because the maintenance records were not available, the history of the gear leg could not be determined.
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
- Aircraft structural failure during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › (general) › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,434 hours in all; 1,943 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 2,347 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,615 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 4, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 482 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: None Caruthers CA at 5:40 pm
- Destination: None Caruthers CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway none, 1,200 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 205° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.55 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 27, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 14-033 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Site and Airplane Information | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Main Landing Gear Maintenance Instructions | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.