On May 20, 1994, a Grumman G-164B (registration N6816Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Memphis, TN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The collision with a dike during an aerial application swath run, which led to landing gear failure and subsequent nosing over upon landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a crop dusting run, an airplane struck a dike, causing landing gear separation. The pilot diverted to a runway but nosed over upon landing, resulting in substantial damage.
What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was engaged in an aerial application operation, specifically during a swath run. At some point during this phase of flight, the airplane collided with a dike. The impact caused the right main landing gear to separate from the airframe and resulted in damage to the left main gear.
Despite the mechanical failure, the pilot managed to divert the aircraft to a nearby hard-surface runway. However, complications arose during the landing slide. As the aircraft touched down and began its rollout, it nosed over. This final event resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Probable cause
The collision with a dike during an aerial application swath run, which led to landing gear failure and subsequent nosing over upon landing.