- Date
- July 13, 2011, 20:00 local (Jul 14, 2011, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Minot, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7709ZPiper PA-25-235
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Fargo FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110713014729A
- Case key
- 81104
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate inspection of the takeoff area which resulted in a collision with terrain and the subsequent loss of control during takeoff.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was departing from a gravel township road for an aerial application flight. During takeoff, he lowered the left wing to compensate for a crosswind. The left spray boom hit a buildup of dirt that was concealed by tall grass on the side of the road. This resulted in the airplane veering off the left side of the road and into a ditch which caused substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was departing from a gravel township road. He lowered the left wing during the takeoff roll due to a crosswind. The left spray boom hit a buildup of dirt that was concealed by tall grass on the side of the road. The airplane veered off the left side of the road and into the ditch which resulted in substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7709Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-3871
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Strategic Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Precision Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Minot, ND
- Destination
- Minot, ND
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 6,678 total · 501 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 6, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 156 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.