# Accident 19960611013209A: Piper PA25235, Cleveland, ND, June 11, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 11, 1996, 05:35 local time
- Place: Cleveland, ND
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: OS9G
- Location: 46.8909° N, 99.1194° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.8909&lon=-99.1194&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9844P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9844P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA25235
- Reported engine: LYC O540B2C5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,688 total, 1,125 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI96LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA194) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960611013209A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT ENTERING FIELD OVER TREES CRASHED INTO THE GROUND. (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO SPRAY A VERY SMALL AREA OF A FIELD, WHICH HAD WIRES ON ONE END AND TREES ON THE OTHER END. HE REPORTED THAT AFTER DESCENDING DOWN TO THE FIELD, THE AIRPLANE 'MUSHED', AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB THE AIRPLANE QUICK ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE TOP OF THE TREES. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. (-23) DURING AERIAL APPLICATION OF CHEMICAL TO THE PILOT'S OWN FARM LAND AND CROPS, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TOP OF 20 FT HIGH TREE DURING A PULL FROM A SPRAY RUN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CRASHED INTO THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED. A FIRE BEGAN IN THE RIGHT WING TIP FUEL TANK BUT WAS LIMITED TO THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE TANK. THE COMMERCIALLY CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS CONDUCTING THE OPERATION AS A COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL AIRCRAFT OPERATOR UNDER CFR 14 PART 137. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI96LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA194), Jun 11, 1996: Piper PA-25 (N9844P), Cleveland, ND, destroyed. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from trees during an aerial application operation. The wires and trees (obstructions) were related factors.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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