- Date
- August 27, 1982, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Oakes, ND
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7715HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820827042149A
- Case key
- 72065
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Several witnesses reported that the purpose of the flight was blackbird control of a sunflower field. There was speculation by local residents that the aircraft was being used to spread poisoned corn. This was substantiated when corn and a portion of an avitrol bag were found later at the crash site. During the flight, the aircraft was observed flying at low altitude, then pulled up over a row of trees north of the accident site. It then proceeded south toward the town of Oakes, ND and made a steep turn in the vicinity of the pilot's home. Witnesses stated that the aircraft was just above the rooftops and seemed to settle and collide with a house. After impact, the aircraft burst into flame. The aircraft and a portion of the house were destroyed by impact and fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7715H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-608
- Airframe hours
- 2,579
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lee Ruhn
- Registered owner
- Lee Ruhn
- Departed
- Oakes, ND
- Destination
- Oakes, 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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 342 total · 70 in this make and model · 190 as pilot in command · 71 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 26 statute miles
- Temperature
- 140 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.