# Accident 19990714008969A: Piper PA18150, Opheim, MT, July 14, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 1999, 11:33 local time
- Place: Opheim, MT
- Airport: Opheim Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 48.8704° N, 106.5605° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.8704&lon=-106.5605&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4385Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4385Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (registry code 42101, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-a2b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA118) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990714008969A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES DURING AERIAL APPLICATION, THE PILOT/SOLE OCUPANT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED. (-23) 1) A/C CRASHED AND BURNED WHILE ENGAGED IN SPRAY ACTIVITIES. A/C OMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE. 2) CONTROL CONTINUITY GOOD 3) PROP SHOWED NO ROTATIONAL DAMAGE 4) THE COMPANY OWNER STATED HE ADDED 10 GALLONS OF GAS TO THE LEFT WING APPROX. 20 MINUTES BEFORE, AND BELIEVES THAT THE PIC DID NOT SWITCH TO LEFT TANK.

## 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 SEA99LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99LA118), Jul 14, 1999: Piper PA-18-150 (N4385Z), Opheim, MT, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stall speed (Vs), resulting in a stall/mush into the terrain during a course reversal at the end of an aerial application run. Factors include hilly…

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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