# Incident 20250717010169I: Piper PA-25-235, Appleton, MN, July 17, 2025

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 17, 2025, 16:30 local time
- Place: Appleton, MN
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 45.1995° N, 96.0222° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Appleton, MN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1995&lon=-96.0222&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6715Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6715Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-25-235 (registry code 7102504, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25-235
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 324 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250717010169I

## Narrative

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

THE PIC CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, FUELED TO 30 GALLONS, LOADED THE AIRCRAFT WITH 100 GALLONS OF FUNGICIDE, AND DEPARTED THE AIRPORT FOR A CORN FIELD 5 MILES AWAY TO PERFORM APPLICATION. TAKEOFF AND CLIMB APPEARED NORMAL TO THE PILOT. AT 500 FEET ALTITUDE AND JUST OVER ONE MILE FROM THE DESTINATION, THE PILOT NOTICED REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND TURNED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. PERFORMANCE DID NOT IMPROVE DESPITE MIXTURE, MAGS, TEMP AND OIL PRESSURE READING NORMAL. AFTER ALTITUDE REDUCED TO 250 FEET, THE PILOT JETTISONED THE LOAD OVER A NON-CROP PRODUCTION AREA. REALIZING ROADS WERE UNATTAINABLE FOR LANDING, THE PILOT DECIDED THE CORN FIELD WAS THE SAFEST PLACE TO LAND. THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED IN THE CORN, BUT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SANK INTO THE WET SOIL. LEANING NOSE DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED FORWARD AND STOPPED INVERTED. THE PILOT EGRESSED SUFFERING A MINOR ARM ABRASION IN THE PROCESS.

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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