- Date
- June 14, 1989, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eva, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6873BPiper PA-18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890614015619A
- Case key
- 22700
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 visual lookout. A factor was the pilot's limited visual perception due to the ground vehicle.
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 pilot reported that his flagman's pickup truck blocked his view of a railroad crossing sign. During what was to have been the final swath run, the truck was moved revealing the sign. The pilot attempted to pull up, but was not able to avoid colliding with the sign. The airplane subsequently impacted upright in soft terrain and came to rest about 100 feet from the sign.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6873B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5053
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Earl Free Sexton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- EHA · Elkhart, KS
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 74
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LBL, 53 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.