- Date
- July 23, 2025, 16:55 local (21:55 UTC)
- Place
- Rushmore, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2032JWeatherly 620B
- 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
- FAA report
- 20250723010449A
- Case key
- 200626
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 failure to maintain clearance from a tree during low-level maneuvering.
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 while performing low altitude aerial spray application, he flew too close to a tree instead of flying over the top of it. The left wingtip struck the tree, and the airplane impacted the ground. The wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2032J
- Reported as
- Weatherly 620B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1583
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 7,457
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Arnt Aerial Spraying Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · July 23, 2025
- Departed
- OTG · Worthington, MN
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- OTG · Worthington Municipal
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
- 30
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 5, 2025
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 918 total · 74 in this make and model · 181 as pilot in command · 181 in the last 90 days · 91 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KOTG, 10 nm away
- METAR
- KOTG 232156Z AUTO 13006KT 10SM CLR 30/23 A2987
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 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.