# Accident 20130806013589A: Piper PA-36-300, Santa Teresa, NM, August 6, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 6, 2013, 08:56 local time
- Place: Santa Teresa, NM
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: V4ZG
- Location: 31.8828° N, 106.6311° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8828&lon=-106.6311&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3789E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3789E-2013-12-16) (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 PA-36-300
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 1,900 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13LA464](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA464) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130806013589A

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 6, 2013 AT 0856 MDT, A PIPER, PA-36-300 N3789E REGISTERED TO ZELDON ROGER J COLLIDED WITH A TREE NEAR SANTA TERESA, NEW MEXICO, WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED STAHMAN FARMS AIRPORT, NEW MEXICO ON AUGUST 6, 2013, AT 0840 MDT.

## 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 CEN13LA464](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA464), Aug 6, 2013: Piper PA-36-300 (N3789E), Santa Teresa, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tree at the completion of an agricultural spray run. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to accept a high level of risk to spray a…

## Other reports on N3789E (1)

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

- [Incident 19810316019339I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810316019339I), Mar 16, 1981: Piper PA36285 (N3789E), Byers, TX, Minor damage. Forced landing due to engine failure. Piston failure.

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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