# NTSB OAK76FVM26: Boeing B75, N68986, Watsonville, CA, March 3, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 3, 1976
- Place: Watsonville, CA · WATSONVILLE, CA
- Location: 36.9236° N, 121.7724° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Watsonville, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9236&lon=-121.7724&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 18, 1976
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 153575
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=OAK76FVM26
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK76FVM26

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0828   76/3/3    WATSONVILLE,CA      BOEING B75          CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 48, 17010
        TIME - 0550                    N68986              PX-  0  0  0  ASSOC CROP CTL ACTIVITY   TOTAL HOURS, 14005 IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - ATWOOD STRIP
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          WATSONVILLE,CA              LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            TAKEOFF: INITIAL CLIMB
           NOSE OVER/DOWN                                           LANDING: ROLL
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
        FACTOR(S)
           TERRAIN - ROUGH/UNEVEN
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
         SPECIAL DATA
          TOTAL HOURS IN CROP CONTROL - 9999                       KIND OF OPERATION - FERTILIZING (DUST)
          KIND OF CROP - OTHER                                     TYPE OF CHEMICAL USED - DRY CHEMICAL-NONTOXIC
          PILOT' S SEAT BELT -FASTENED-PROPERLY                    GLOVES - USED
          GOGGLES - USED                                           CRASH HELMET - AVAILABLE USED
          COCKPIT CRASHPAD - INSTALLED                             CRASH BAR - NOT INSTALLED
          TANK/HOPPER-LOCATION - FORWARD OF PILOT                  ELEVATION-AREA BEING TREATED-FEET -  400
          SWATH RUN-HOW FLOWN - WIND CALM
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- DUSTING BROCCOLI.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N68986](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68986-1976-04-20), registration cancelled 1976-04-20, S/N 75-5049 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING B75
- Registry model: [Boeing B75N1](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-b75n1) (registry code 1380144) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Atwood Strip

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19760303004919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760303004919A), Mar 3, 1976: Boeing B75N1, Watsonville, CA, Destroyed. Dusting broccoli.

## Other investigations on N68986 (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 OAK73FVM06](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK73FVM06), Aug 10, 1972: Boeing E75 (N68986), Salinas, CA, substantial damage

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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