On May 22, 2000, a Grumman G-164B (registration N6744K) was involved in an aviation accident near Monticello, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate control of the aircraft during crop dusting operations, which resulted in the right wingtip striking trees due to gusty wind conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A crop dusting aircraft veered off course due to gusty winds, causing the right wingtip to hit trees along a county road during an agricultural application flight.
What happened
During a routine agricultural application flight, the pilot was operating a Crop Dusting Ag-Cat along a designated county road. While maintaining the aircraft's position over the centerline of the road, the pilot encountered unexpected wind conditions. A sudden gust of wind originating from the left rear quarter of the aircraft disrupted the flight path.
The force of this wind pushed the aircraft off its intended track. As the plane drifted laterally, the right wingtip made contact with adjacent trees lining the road. Despite the collision and the resulting damage to the aircraft's exterior, the pilot maintained control. The fertilizer payload remained secure within the tank, and no material was spilled onto the ground or surrounding vegetation.
The pilot reported that they were uninjured following the incident. Post-accident review of the pilot's qualifications indicated a total flight time of 14.3 hours specifically in turbine-powered aircraft at the time of the event.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate control of the aircraft during crop dusting operations, which resulted in the right wingtip striking trees due to gusty wind conditions.