# Accident 20230728008879A: Piper PA-25-235, Tyler, MN, July 28, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 28, 2023, 11:07 local time
- Place: Tyler, MN
- Airport: Tyler Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 1JKG
- Location: 44.2917° N, 96.1538° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2917&lon=-96.1538&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7094Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7094Z-2023-11-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-235-F1 (registry code 42041, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-235-f1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25-235
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-235-F1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,126 total, 700 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA335) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230728008879A

## Narrative

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

THE AERIAL APPLICATOR HAD STARTED SPRAYING FIELDS AT 6:30 AM. FOG SET IN AND THE PILOT HAD TO STOP SPRAYING AND WAIT FOR THE FOG TO CLEAR. AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45 AM THE PIC LOADED WITH 22-30 GALLONS OF FUEL (PILOT’S ESTIMATE BASED OFF A FLOAT GAUGE THAT IS ONLY ACCURATE IN FLIGHT) AND A 110 GALLON MIXTURE OF WATER, FUNGICIDE, AND INSECTICIDE, SAME LOADS TAKEN EARLIER IN THE DAY WITHOUT COMPENSATING FOR THE CHANGE IN DENSITY ALTITUDE. THE PIC CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR TAKEOFF WITH HALF FLAPS (PIPER PAWNEE C OWNERS HANDBOOK STATES “FLAPS ARE PROVIDED FOR AN INCREASED ANGLE OF DECENT ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR TAKE-OFF OR CLIMB”) AND BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET PRIOR TO THE MARKED RUNWAY THRESHOLD FOR RUNWAY 32 WITH A 70° CROSSWIND. THE AREA PRECEDING THE RUNWAY AS A GRASS COVERED AREA THAT IS NOT MAINTAINED AS PART OF THE GRASS RUNWAY. THE PIC STATED HE USES THE GRASSY AREA TO GET A RUNNING START ON THE RUNWAY, CROSSING THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AT 25-30 MPH. NEAR THE MIDPOINT OF THE RUNWAY THE LEFT WING AND TAIL BEGAN TO RISE AS EXPECTED BUT THE RIGHT WING WAS NOT COMING UP, SO THE PIC ADDED FULL FLAPS. HE REACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND ROTATED FOR FLIGHT BUT WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE TO CLEAR CORN MEASURING 7’-8’ TALL THAT WAS PLANTED IN A FIELD JUST OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CORN SHOWED SIGNS OF IMPACT 5’ 5” OFF THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 325 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED LANDING GEAR COLLAPSE, PROPELLER STRIKE, DAMAGE TO LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS AND LEFT WING SEPARATING FROM FUSELAGE.

DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PIC HE PROVIDED A WEIGHT AND BALANCE REPORT (CREATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT). THE REPORT WAS CALCULATED USING 22 GALLONS OF FUEL AND 110 GALLONS OF CHEMICAL, 2890 LBS. GROSS WEIGHT, MAX GROSS WEIGHT 2900 LBS.

NO WEATHER SERVICES AT THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT, WEATHER INFO BELOW FROM A NEARBY AIRPORT.

6:30 AM 	WIND CALM		TEMP  20°C	DEW POINT 20° C		PRESSURE 2990		DENSITY ALTITUDE 2750 FEET

11:00 AM	WIND 030 @ 8KTS	TEMP 26°C	DEW POINT 22°C		PRESSURE 2996		DENSITY ALTITUDE 3360 FEET

## 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 CEN23LA335](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA335), Jul 28, 2023: Piper PA-25-235 (N7094Z), Tyler, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flap position during takeoff, which resulted in degraded climb performance and a collision with terrain.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.