NTSB Factual Report

On August 3, 2005, approximately 0750 mountain daylight time, a single-engine Grumman G-164B airplane, N8386K, was substantially damaged after nosing over during the landing roll at a private airstrip near Paul, Idaho. The certificated commercial pilot, sole occupant of the aircraft, was not injured. The flight was being operated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 137, and a flight plan was not filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight, which had departed the private airstrip about 30 minutes prior to the accident.

In a written report and in a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that after touching down on the dirt airstrip, the left lower wing panel of the airplane contacted some weeds which bordered the strip on the west, dragging the aircraft into a beet field, which was soft and wet. The aircraft subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the upper wing panels, the top of the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder.

NTSB Probable Cause

The failure of the pilot to maintain direction control during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over. Contributing factors included the weeds and the wet, soft terrain..