# NTSB FTW66F0253: Piper PA-25, N7281Z, Bonita, LA, August 31, 1965

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: August 31, 1965
- Place: Bonita, LA · BONITA, LA
- Location: 32.9205° N, 91.6751° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bonita, LA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9205&lon=-91.6751&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 18, 1965
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 176313
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW66F0253
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW66F0253

## NTSB brief (aircraft 2)

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-0514  65/8/31    BONITA LA           PIPER PA-25         CR-  1  0  0  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, FL.INSTR.,
        TIME - 1800                    N7538Z              PX-  0  0  0  AERIAL APPLICATION        AGE 24, 3000 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  1                            400 IN TYPE, NOT
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH AIRCRAFT: BOTH IN FLIGHT                  IN FLIGHT: PULLUP FROM SWATH RUN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT
           PERSONNEL - MISCELLANEOUS-PERSONNEL: PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
         SPECIAL DATA
          TOTAL HOURS IN CROP CONTROL -  900                       KIND OF OPERATION - SPRAYING CROPS
          KIND OF CROP - BEANS                                     TYPE OF CHEMICAL USED - LIQUID CHEMICAL-TOXIC
          PILOT' S SEAT BELT -FASTENED-PROPERLY                    GLOVES - NOT USED
          GOGGLES - NOT USED                                       CRASH HELMET - AVAILABLE USED
          COCKPIT CRASHPAD - INSTALLED                             CRASH BAR - INSTALLED
          TANK/HOPPER-LOCATION - FORWARD OF PILOT                  TERRAIN-TYPE -LEVEL,FLAT
          ELEVATION-AREA BEING TREATED-FEET -  50                  SWATH RUN-HOW FLOWN - CROSSWIND
          PROCEDURE TURNAROUND - ENTRY TO PROCEDURE TURN
         SPECIAL DATA
          SEGMENTS OF AVIATION INVOLVED - SMALL US GEN.AV.-SMALL US GEN.AV.
          CONTROLLING AGENCY - NO CONTROL                          RADAR CTL/SURVEILLANCE - NOT UNDER RADAR CONTACT
          TRAFFIC ADVISORY ISSUED - NONE                           CONTROL ZONE/AREA - NO
          CONVERGENCE ANGLE-DEGREES -  120                         HORIZONTAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -   120
          VERTICAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -  170                  EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN - NO
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
```

## NTSB brief (aircraft 1)

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2-0514  65/8/31    BONITA LA           PIPER PA-25         CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 27, 3500
        TIME - 1800                    N7281Z              PX-  0  0  0  AERIAL APPLICATION        TOTAL HOURS, 500 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  1  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH AIRCRAFT: BOTH IN FLIGHT                  IN FLIGHT: STARTING SWATH RUN
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
          PILOT-MANUVERED INTO PULLUP ZONE OF N7538Z
           PERSONNEL - MISCELLANEOUS-PERSONNEL: PILOT OF OTHER AIRCRAFT
         SPECIAL DATA
          TOTAL HOURS IN CROP CONTROL - 3500                       KIND OF OPERATION - SPRAYING CROPS
          KIND OF CROP - BEANS                                     TYPE OF CHEMICAL USED - LIQUID CHEMICAL-TOXIC
          PILOT' S SEAT BELT -FASTENED-PROPERLY                    GLOVES - USED
          GOGGLES - NOT USED                                       CRASH HELMET - AVAILABLE USED
          COCKPIT CRASHPAD - INSTALLED                             CRASH BAR - INSTALLED
          TANK/HOPPER-LOCATION - FORWARD OF PILOT                  TERRAIN-TYPE -LEVEL,FLAT
          ELEVATION-AREA BEING TREATED-FEET -  50                  SWATH RUN-HOW FLOWN - CROSSWIND
         SPECIAL DATA
          SEGMENTS OF AVIATION INVOLVED - SMALL US GEN.AV.-SMALL US GEN.AV.
          CONTROLLING AGENCY - NO CONTROL                          RADAR CTL/SURVEILLANCE - NOT UNDER RADAR CONTACT
          TRAFFIC ADVISORY ISSUED - NONE                           CONTROL ZONE/AREA - NO
          CONVERGENCE ANGLE-DEGREES -  120                         HORIZONTAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -   120
          VERTICAL COLLISION ANGLE-DEGREES -  170                  EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN - NO
```

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N7281Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7281Z-1974-09-05), registration cancelled 1974-09-05, S/N 25-3221 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25
- Registry model: [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (registry code 7102504) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N7538Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7538Z-1965-10-14), registration cancelled 1965-10-14, S/N 25-3584 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-25
- Registry model: [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (registry code 7102504) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## Other investigations on N7281Z (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW67F0595](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW67F0595), May 12, 1967: Piper PA-25 (N7281Z), Bonita, LA, destroyed

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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