# NTSB CEN13LA464: Piper PA-36-300, N3789E, Santa Teresa, NM, August 6, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 6, 2013, 08:56 local (14:56 UTC) - Place: Santa Teresa, NM - Coordinates: 31.882778, -106.631111 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8828&lon=-106.6311&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 2, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 87698 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA464 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87698/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87698 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA464 ## 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 small field bordered by multiple obstacles and his fatigue due to interrupted sleep the night before the accident. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-36-300, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7103612), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-36-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=7103612), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-36-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7103612), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Alertness/Fatigue](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013500): Personnel issues › Physical · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-36-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013500/cases.md?model=7103612), [All aircraft, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-36-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=7103612), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting an agricultural spray operation to a small field with obstacles, including a power line, trees, and heavy construction equipment. His pull-up from the spray pass was too late and the airplane struck a tree on the edge of the field. Due to the tree strike, the pilot lost roll control and maneuvered to a forced landing, during which the airplane cartwheeled. The pilot stated that he accepted a high level of risk to spray the small, tightly confined field, which he regretted. Factoring in his decision were multiple requests to spray the field by a persistent farm owner. Multiple sleep interruptions occurred on the night prior to the accident, which would have affected both the quality and amount of sleep the pilot obtained during his reported sleep opportunity. The resultant fatigue would have likely affected both the pilot’s decision making and flying performance on the day of the accident. ## Factual narrative On August 6, 2013, at 0856 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-36-300 airplane, N3789E, was substantially damaged after ground impact near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The pilot did not report any injuries. The airplane was registered to Valley Ag Aerial Services and was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which departed without a flight plan from a private airfield near San Miguel, New Mexico, about 0830. The pilot stated that he arrived to spray a small cotton field, which was divided by a diagonal power line. After a spray pass on the north side of the power line, he maneuvered the airplane for a spray pass on the south side of the power line. Due to the power line and heavy construction equipment near the approach end of the pass, the pilot conducted an approach with a steeper angle. During the pull-up from this pass, the airplane struck a tree at the departure end of the field. The pilot was unable to maintain roll control and maneuvered to a forced landing, during which the airplane cartwheeled in a grass field. Both wings and the rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that the land owner had made multiple requests to spray the small, tightly confined field and he regretted his decision to accommodate the request. He had sprayed this field during previous years and realized that it was challenging to spray due to its size and the obstacles. The pilot made a habit of sleeping at least seven hours per night. On the night prior to the accident, his sleep was interrupted about five to eight times by a dog that he was taking care of for a friend. Since the spray season started in the spring, he had consistently averaged about 6 work days a week. During the last month, he averaged about 4 hours of flight time, per day, conducting spray operations. In retrospect, the pilot stated that he was fatigued at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3789E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3789E-2013-12-16), registration cancelled 2013-12-16, S/N 36-7960078, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-36-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-36-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-36-300) (registry code 7103612) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 36-7960078 - Airframe hours: 6675 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-720 AIB 400 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Roger Zeledon, doing business as Valley Ag Aerial Services - Registered owner: Roger Zeledon - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 7, 2013 - Departed: N/A, San Miguel, NM - Destination: N/A, San Miguel, NM ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2013; seat: single; flight hours: 4,986 total, 1,478 in this make and model, 4,877 as pilot in command, 206 in the last 90 days, 96 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: KELP, 13 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130806013589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130806013589A), Aug 6, 2013: Piper PA-36-300, Santa Teresa, NM, Substantial damage. 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… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 25, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87698. 285 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 221 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40400374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of correspondence with pilot (item 2, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40401038&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20correspondence%20with%20pilot-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.