# NTSB FTW73FRD34: Grumman G-164, N552Y, Church Point, LA, June 2, 1973

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: June 2, 1973
- Place: Church Point, LA · CHURCH POINT, LA
- Location: 30.4075° N, 92.2136° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Church Point, LA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4075&lon=-92.2136&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 9, 1973
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 190496
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW73FRD34
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW73FRD34

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1274   73/6/2    CHURCH POINT, LA    GRUMMAN G-164       CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 30, 4131
        TIME - 1300                    N552Y               PX-  0  0  0  AERIAL APPLICATION        TOTAL HOURS, 3090 IN
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          CHURCH POINT,LA             LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: STARTING SWATH RUN
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - ENGINE STRUCTURE: CRANKSHAFT
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - MATERIAL FAILURE
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FATIGUE FRACTURE
           TERRAIN - ROUGH/UNEVEN
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
         SPECIAL DATA
          TOTAL HOURS IN CROP CONTROL - 4100                       KIND OF OPERATION - FERTILIZING (DUST)
          KIND OF CROP - RICE                                      TYPE OF CHEMICAL USED - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
          PILOT' S SEAT BELT -UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                 GLOVES - NOT USED
          GOGGLES - NOT USED                                       CRASH HELMET - AVAILABLE-NOT USED
          COCKPIT CRASHPAD - INSTALLED                             CRASH BAR - NOT INSTALLED
          TANK/HOPPER-LOCATION - FORWARD OF PILOT                  TERRAIN-TYPE -LEVEL,FLAT
          ELEVATION-AREA BEING TREATED-FEET -  1320                SWATH RUN-HOW FLOWN - UPWIND
        REMARKS- PROP SEPARATED IN FLT.CRANKSHAFT FAILED.FATIGUE TYPE MARKINGS OBSERVED ON SEPARATED SURFACE.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N552Y](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N552Y), registered now, S/N 223 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G-164
- Registry model: [Grumman G-164](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-164) (registry code 3952702) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Jacobs L4 /R755-7](https://openairdocs.org/engine/jacobs-l4-r755-7) (registry code 35003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## 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 19730602014939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19730602014939A), Jun 2, 1973: Grumav G164, Church Point, LA, Substantial damage. Prop separated in flt. Crankshaft failed. Fatigue type markings observed on separated surface.

## Other investigations on N552Y (2)

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.

- [NTSB FTW86FRG24](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW86FRG24), Jun 5, 1986: Grumman G-164 (N552Y), La Feria, TX, destroyed
- [NTSB FTW70F0059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW70F0059), Jun 19, 1969: Grumman G-164 (N552Y), Lake Arthur, LA, substantial damage

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.