# NTSB CEN24LA364: Grumman G-164A, N6565, LaPlace, LA, September 21, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 21, 2024, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: LaPlace, LA · sugar cane field
- Coordinates: 30.0635, -90.4567 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0635&lon=-90.4567&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195162
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA364
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195162/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195162
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA364

## Probable cause

Total loss of engine power during the agricultural application flight for reasons that could not be determined.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Grumman G-164A, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=3952704), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Grumman G-164A, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=3952704), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Grumman G-164A, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=3952704), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Grumman G-164A, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3952704), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported he had just completed an agricultural application pass and had entered a turn to setup for the next pass, when he heard a “pop” from the engine and felt the airplane slow down. His efforts to restore engine power were not successful. He dumped the application load and executed a forced landing to a road. After touching down, he maneuvered the airplane to avoid a tractor parked along the side of the road. Unfortunately, the left wing struck the sugar cane crop adjacent to the road causing damage to the lower wings, wing struts, and landing gear. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not identify any preimpact anomalies consistent with an inability of the engine to produce rated power.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6565](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6565), registered now, S/N 722, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G-164A
- Registry model: [Grumman G-164A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-164a) (registry code 3952704) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 722
- Year built: 1970
- Airframe hours: 7975
- Engines: Pratt & Whitney R1340-53H1G 600 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Ag Air Inc
- Registered owner: Ag Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, April 12, 2024, 48 hours before
- Departed: L83, Thibodaux, LA
- Destination: L83, Thibodaux, LA
- Airport: N/A, N/A
- Equipment: Angle of attack indicator

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 12, 2024; seat: single; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,737 total, 2,594 in this make and model, 2,737 as pilot in command, 112 in the last 90 days, 61 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observed at: KMSY, 11 nm away
- METAR: METAR KMSY 211353Z 01007KT 10SM FEW055 28/25 A2995

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20240921013969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240921013969A), Sep 21, 2024: Grumman G-164A, Laplace, LA, Substantial damage. Pilot had just made a pass spraying heading north. As the pilot was making a turn to setup and make a pass headed to the south, a pop was heard from the…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 10, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195162. 78.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 72.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18093333&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Rpt%20--%20CEN24LA364_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 750 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18093094&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photos%20--%20CEN24LA364-Rel.pdf
- Conversation summary -- FAA inspector (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18092631&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20--%20FAA_Barrow_25Sep2024-Rel.pdf
- Conversation summary -- recovery personnel (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18093343&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20--%20TWCook_04Dec2024-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records -- airframe (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18092855&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20--%20Airframe_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Maintenance records -- engine (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18092173&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20--%20Engine_redacted-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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