- Date
- August 8, 2023, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hartington, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8847LPiper PA25
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230808009919A
- Case key
- 192834
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 misperception of the rising terrain resulting in a collision with crops and terrain.
Findings · 2
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 while he maneuvered to apply agricultural product to a field, he did not perceive a higher slope of crops before making an application pass. The airplane’s landing gear became entangled in the crops and the pilot could not power the airplane free. The airplane impacted terrain and came to rest upright. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane’s left wing and empennage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8847L
- Reported as
- Piper PA25 (235)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-5358
- Built
- 1971
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2C5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Becker Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Becker Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Airport
- n/a
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 5, 2021
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,354 total · 238 in this make and model · 1,239 as pilot in command · 393 in the last 90 days · 229 in the last 30 days · 20 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KSUX, 42 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSUX 081752Z 26004KT 7SM CLR 27/13 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP193 T02720133 10278 20117 58004=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.4 MB 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.