Schweizer Aircraft CORP G 164B accident near Tulelake, California, August 1, 2014
On August 1, 2014 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1983 Schweizer Aircraft CORP G 164B, registered N3627R, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Tulelake, California (Tulelake Muni airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering during low-altitude operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2014 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tulelake, California · Tulelake Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Schweizer Aircraft CORP G 164B, built 1983 · all G 164Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3627R · no longer on the register · serial 731B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was applying the last load of insecticide to a field in the agricultural biplane when the top wing struck power lines as the biplane passed underneath it. The operator reported that the pilot had applied insecticide to the same field many times. Further, he had flown under the power lines many times without incident. There were no witnesses to the accident; a spotter who had been assigned to the pilot was transitioning to another location at the time. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and the propeller's damage signatures indicated that the engine was operating at the time of impact. At the time of the accident, the sun would have been positioned just off the airplane's right wing; therefore, it is unlikely that the sun hindered the pilot's view. The airplane struck thinner lines that were about 10 ft below 40-ft-high thicker lines; therefore, it is possible that the pilot was focused on the upper lines and did not see the lower ones.
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 visual reference during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 22,350 in this make and model; 504 in the last 90 days; 154 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 6, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett/Airesearch TPE331-2-201A (turboprop); 23,633 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Macys Flying Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: O81 Tulelake CA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: O81 Tulelake CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KLMT, 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.
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.