- Date
- July 17, 1992, 20:20 local (Jul 18, 1992, 01:20 UTC)
- Place
- Decker, IN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4766YPiper PA-25-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920717028269A
- Case key
- 15255
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
Failure of the right wing spar, improper maintenance/modification, and failure to comply with an airworthiness directive.
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
Pilot started pull up for reversal turn in aerial application maneuver. The right wing separated from the airplane. Airplane crashed in field and was consumed by post crash fire. Metallurgical examination revealed preexisting fatigue cracks in lower spar cap of the right wing originating from two misdrilled holes. Airworthiness directive to inspect for wing spar fatigue cracks had not been complied with.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4766Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- L-11951-40AC
- Airframe hours
- 6,001
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-GIA5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Air Aid, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 1992 · 96 hours before
- Departed
- IN30 · Patoka, IN
- Destination
- IN30
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,400 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EVV, 27 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.
Other investigations on N4766Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.