Probable cause
A bearing failure in the engine’s supercharger section, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during flight. Contributing to the accident was the soft soil of the forced landing site.
NTSB analysis
The airplane sustained a total loss of engine power during the aerial application flight. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to a nearby dirt field and conducted a forced landing. Before the airplane came to a full stop it nosed over in the soft soil, damaging the left wing and vertical section of the airplane. The engine was partially disassembled by the pilot/owner. Two bearings in the collector section of the supercharger were damaged and seized, and bearing debris was observed in the collector area. Once the collector was disconnected from the engine, the crankshaft and piston moved freely. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed no recent repairs related to the bearing failure.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11LA290 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 29, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Albion, New York
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Grumman G-164A
- N-number
- N896X
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 137 (agricultural)
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial application
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.