# Accident 19971020031539A: Piper PA25235, Blakely, GA, October 20, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 20, 1997, 11:30 local time
- Place: Blakely, GA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 31.3809° N, 84.9270° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Blakely, GA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.3809&lon=-84.9270&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9567P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9567P-1998-05-28) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA25235
- Reported engine: LYC O540B2C5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,200 total, 1,750 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA004) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971020031539A

## Narrative

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

ACFT WING TIP STRUCK TREES DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, BLAKELY, GA. (-23) PILOT JAMES BURCH WAS SPRAYING A COTTON FIELD AND HE HIT THE TOP OF AN OAK TREE AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT AILERON WHICH CAUSED CONTROL PROBLEMS. HE CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT ENDED UPSIDE DOWN. HE ESCAPED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES AND THE PLANE BURNED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CLEAR DAY WITH LIGHT WINDS. HE STATED THAT HE LOOKED BACK AT HIS FIELD AND HE PULLED UP AND HE DID NOT SEE THE TREE.              (.4) DURING PULL-UP FROM A SWATH RUN, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE THE PULL-UP, HE WAS CHECKING THE DRIFT OF THE SPRAY FOR THE NEXT SWATH RUN. HE SAID THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE TREES AND HAD PLANNED TO PULL UP FROM UNDER A SET OF UTILITY LINES BEFORE THE TREES. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT MANAGED TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE UPRIGHT BY REDUCING POWER AND USING OPPOSITE AILERON. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND BURNED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT.                                                                                             (.4) DURING PULL-UP FROM A SWATH RUN, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE THE PULL-UP, HE WAS CHECKING THE DRIFT OF THE SPRAY FOR THE NEXT SWATH RUN. HE SAID THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE TREES AND HAD PLANNED TO PULL UP FROM UNDER A SET OF UTILITY LINES BEFORE THE TREES. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO ROLL TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT MANAGED TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE UPRIGHT BY REDUCING POWER AND USING OPPOSITE AILERON. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AND BURNED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT.

## 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 ATL98LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA004), Oct 20, 1997: Piper PA-25-235C (N9567P), Blakley, GA, destroyed. Probable cause: the pilot misjudge clearance from trees during pull-up from a swath run. The obstructions (power line and trees) were related factors.

## Other reports on N9567P (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19930826034609I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930826034609I), Aug 26, 1993: Piper PA25235 (N9567P), Evergreen, AL. Vibration in flight. Precautionary landing on highway. Found blade missing from chemical pump.

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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