# Accident 19980625015029A: Piper PA36300, Mobridge, SD, June 25, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 25, 1998, 13:45 local time
- Place: Mobridge, SD
- Airport: Mobridge Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: MTTG
- Location: 45.5398° N, 100.4292° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5398&lon=-100.4292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3760E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3760E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-36-300 (registry code 7103612, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-36-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA36300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1G5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 14,120 total, 3,629 in this make and model, 135 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA219) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980625015029A

## Narrative

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

ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE DURING AERIAL APP AND DESTROYED THE RUDDER AND VERTICAL STABLIZER. (.4)THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING A FIELD OF WHEAT AND WAS WORKING UNDER NON-ACTIVE POWER LINES GOING TO AN ABANDONED FARMSTEAD. DURING ONE OF THE PASSES THE AIRPLANE HIT ONE OF THE WIRES SEPARATING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY, WINGS LEVEL, IN A SKIDDING TURN TO THE RIGHT.  DUE TO AN APPROACHING TREE LINE THE PILOT REDUCED THE ENGINE POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED LEVEL TERRAIN WITH THE WINGS LEVEL.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO THE LEFT, FOLDING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR UNDER THE WING.                                                                 (-23) WHILE SPRAYING ADJACENT FIELDS, PILOT ELECTED TO FLY UNDER POWER LINES.  AIRCRAFT TAIL STRUCK LOWER WIRE, RIPPING VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER FROM AIRCRAFT.  PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN FIELD.

## 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 CHI98LA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA219), Jun 25, 1998: Piper PA-36-300 (N3760E), Mobridge, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines. Factors associated with the accident were the power lines, and the separation of the vertical stabilizer and rudder which resulted in…

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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