On March 27, 1987, a Grumman G-164 (registration N654Y) was involved in an aviation accident near Shelbyville, TN. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft operating from a narrow dirt road struck a dirt bank and bushes during takeoff, then hit a tree, nosed over, and caught fire. The pilot reported the aircraft was too heavy.
Accident Details
The aircraft was operated from a dirt road that was reportedly only slightly wider than the aircraft. The pilot had just completed a spraying operation and was about to apply fertilizer. He installed the spreader but left the spray booms and pump on the aircraft since only three loads remained.
Sequence of Events
During the subsequent takeoff roll, the right spray boom struck a dirt bank on the side of the road. The pilot raised the right wing and began to dump the aircraft's load of fertilizer. The airplane became airborne and struck some bushes. During the initial climb, the left wing struck a tree. The airplane nosed over, impacted the terrain inverted, and caught fire.
Pilot Report
The pilot later reported to the FAA that the aircraft was "just too heavy."