Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A accident near Davis, California, August 6, 2023
On August 6, 2023 at about 4:27 pm local time, a 1973 Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, registered N5450, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Davis, California. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inflight loss of control during a low altitude operation for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2023 · about 4:27 pm local time
- Place
- Davis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman Acft Eng Cor-Schweizer G-164A, built 1973 · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N5450 · registry record · serial 1160
- 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 flying an aerial application flight over a tomato field from west to east when the airplane impacted a field and was consumed by a postimpact fire. There were no witnesses to the accident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial impact and thermal damage to the airframe and its corresponding systems. Impact signatures on the propeller revealed leading edge gouges, chordwise scratches on the face side of one propeller blade, and aft bending on both propeller blades in the opposite direction of rotation, which is consistent with some rotation at the time of impact. The propeller exhibited some indication of power at the time of impact; however, the impact and thermal damage prevented a determination to what extent the engine was operating at the time of the accident.
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 in flight 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
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,538 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,921.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 4,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 12,181 hours total
- Operator: Growers Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: 69CL Woodland CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KVCB, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KVCB 061553Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 28/15 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02780150
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 N5450 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR23LA305.