- Date
- October 23, 1988, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Glendale, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7229ZPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 26128
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.
Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction
Wing,bracing strut - corrodedCause
Maintenance,inspection - poorFactor
Wing,bracing strut - separationCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
During an aerial application flight the pilot reported that the right wing suddenly went up then down. The airplane rolled to the right and collided with the terrain. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the lift strut was broken. Evidence of corrosion was present at the break along with corrosion noted throughout the airframe.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7229Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-3255
- Airframe hours
- 4,191
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- M & J Spray Inc.
- Registered owner
- H.D. Murphy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 1988 · 264 hours before
- Departed
- Glendale, AZ
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F