Accident Details
On July 1, 2025, at about 1145 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B airplane, registration N8834H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lockport, Louisiana. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that on the morning of the accident, he had flown two previous aerial application flights in the accident airplane without any issues. However, the outside air temperature and humidity had increased since the earlier flights. During the accident flight, the airplane contained approximately 35 gallons of fuel and about 160 gallons of liquid applicant in the hopper.
After descending into the target field, the pilot completed one spray pass. As he approached the end of the field, he began to ascend and noticed that the plane was not climbing as normal. All engine gauges indicated normal readings, but the airplane would not turn or climb as expected. The airplane descended as he neared a highway. He decided not to dump the hopper over the highway or the adjacent bayou, so he continued forward. The airplane cleared a set of powerlines next to the highway and landed hard in a field, then nosed over. The pilot egressed the airplane without further incident.
Aircraft Damage
The responding FAA inspector reported that the airplane came to rest inverted in a field. The engine and propeller were mostly separated from the firewall. The upper and lower wings remained attached to the fuselage but sustained leading edge damage. The airplane has been retained for further examination.