- Date
- June 11, 2005, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mapleton, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8619LPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20050611034279A
- Case key
- 62083
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 continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain clearance from an object during the precautionary landing. The heavy rain and the unknown object were factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was damaged during an off-airport precautionary landing. The pilot reported that he encountered heavy rain and landed in a soybean field. Weather reports for the vicinity listed heavy rain and visibilities of 1/2 to 3/4 statute mile. The right wing was damaged due to impact with an unknown object.
Factual narrative
On June 11, 2005, at 1500 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N8619L, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing to a soy bean field near Mapleton, North Dakota. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight was operating in instrument meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The origin and time of origin of the flight has not been determined.
At 1453, the recorded weather at the Hector International Airport (FAR), Fargo, North Dakota, located about 14 miles northeast of the accident was: Wind 350 degrees at 11 knots; visibility 3/4 statute miles; sky condition few clouds at 600 feet, 1,600 broken, 2,600 overcast; significant weather, heavy rain and mist; temperature 18 degrees Celsius; dew point 17 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.56 inches of Mercury.
At 1503, the recorded weather at FAR was: Wind 010 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 1/2 statute miles; sky condition few clouds at 600 feet, 1,400 broken, 2,100 overcast; significant weather, heavy rain and fog; temperature 18 degrees Celsius; dew point 17 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.56 inches of Mercury.
At 1514, the recorded weather at FAR was: Wind 050 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 3/4 statute miles; sky condition 400 feet broken, 1,600 feet broken, 2,600 feet overcast; significant weather, heavy rain and mist; temperature 18 degrees Celsius; dew point 17 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.55 inches of Mercury.
The pilot initially reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he had flown into very heavy rain and had landed in a soybean field. He told the inspector that he was attempting to get to Kraft Field, Mapleton, North Dakota. The pilot did not file a written report of the accident.
Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the right wing consistent with an impact with an object. It is not known what the object was.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8619L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-5049
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Edward A. Skroch Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Destination
- 2ND0 · Mapleton, 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 28,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 0.5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.55 inHg
- Observed at
- FAR, 14 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.