- Date
- March 30, 1995, 07:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Catoosa, OK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4900YPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950330006509A
- Case key
- 19378
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 terrain and obstacle clearance.
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 aerial application student was practicing swaths over the trees. The instructor, who was maintaining radio contact with the pilot from the ground, observed the airplane's wheels contact the trees as the pilot completed a turn around maneuver. The airplane descended through the trees coming to rest in a nose down vertical position. Examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector did not disclose any mechanical or structural anomalies.
Factual narrative
On March 30, 1995, at 0700 central standard time, a Piper PA-25-235, N4900Y, was destroyed while maneuvering near Catoosa, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight.
During an interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the flight instructor reported that the hopper was loaded with water and the aerial application student was practicing swaths over the trees. The instructor, who was maintaining radio contact with the pilot and observing the airplane from the ground, observed the airplane's wheels contact the trees as the pilot completed a turn around maneuver. Subsequently, the airplane decelerated as it descended through trees for 310 feet before coming to rest in a nose down vertical position.
Examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector revealed no mechanical or structural anomalies. Both wings and fuselage were structurally damaged.
Repeated attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4900Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-4707
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Riggs Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- K11 · Claremore, OK
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
- 41
- Certificates
- Commercial, Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,126 total · 1,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUL, 15 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.