GRUMMAN ACFT ENG COR-SCHWEIZER G-164B

Full Narrative

On July 1, 2025, about 1145 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164B airplane, N8834H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lockport, Louisiana. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight.
The pilot reported that on the morning of the accident he had flown two previous aerial application flights in the accident airplane without issue. The outside air temperature and humidity had increased since the first two flights. During the accident flight the airplane contained about 35 gallons of fuel and about 160 gallons of liquid applicant in the hopper. The pilot descended into the target field and completed one spray pass. As he approached the end of the field he ascended and “noticed the plane not climbing as normal.” The engine gauges all showed normal indications, but the airplane would not turn or climb as expected. The airplane descended as he approached a highway, and he did not want 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.
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 and sustained leading edge damage.
The airplane has been retained for further examination.