# NTSB SEA97LA010: Piper PA-36-300, N2331Y, Prosser, WA, October 10, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 1996, 08:45 local (15:45 UTC) - Place: Prosser, WA - Coordinates: 46.120948, -119.679801 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.1209&lon=-119.6798&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 30, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42525 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA97LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42525/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=42525 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA010 ## Probable cause failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from the terrain, while en route to an apple orchard that he intended to spray. A factor relating to the accident was: the turbulent wind condition over the hills. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise - weather condition - turbulence,terrain induced (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airplane departed for a second flight of the day to spray an apple orchard. The pilot had reported, that on the first flight, there was turbulence en route to the orchard, but the winds were calm at the orchard. During the second flight, the airplane impacted hills which were between the departure airport and the orchard. No preimpact malfunction or failure of the aircraft or engine was found. ## Factual narrative On October 10, 1996, about 0845 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-36-300, N2331Y, crashed in hills south of Prosser, Washington. The airplane was being operated under visual flight rules (VFR) as a local area aerial application flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by Aircraft Applications Inc., sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The accident occurred on the second flight of the day. The first flight had departed the airport at 0730. After the first flight, the pilot reported that he had encountered a lot of turbulence between the departure runway and the hill where the accident eventually took place. However, he said that the wind was calm at the orchard site where the spraying was taking place, so 150 gallons of "Stop Drop", a hormone type product for control of preharvest drop of apples, was loaded onto the airplane. The pilot also added twenty gallons of fuel to give a total of 75 gallons of fuel on board. The airplane departed the Prosser airport at 0835 in a westerly direction for several miles before turning south towards the hills which were between the airport and the orchard. Three witnesses who saw the airplane and heard the engine running, varied in their description of the engine noise from "popping" to "...running strong and all at once the sound stopped...". FAA inspectors responded to the scene of the accident and documented the wreckage. A copy of this documentation is attached to this report. On October 25, 1996, an engine examination was accomplished at the Prosser airport under FAA supervision. No evidence of pre-impact failure was found. A copy of the engine examination is attached to this report. An autopsy was performed on the pilot by Benton County. Cause of death was listed as "massive trauma to the head, neck and chest." Toxicological testing performed by the Civil Aero Medical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma resulted in negative findings for alcohol and drugs except for acetaminophen. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2331Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2331Y-1998-01-17), registration cancelled 1998-01-17, S/N 368160004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-36-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-36-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-36-300) (registry code 7103612) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 36-8160004 - Airframe hours: 2373 - Engines: Lycoming IO-720-A1B 400 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: Marvin Bonny - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 1996, 144 hours before - Departed: S40, WA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; toxicology performed; flight hours: 491 total, 28 in this make and model, 491 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 5 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PSC, 31 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19961010031459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961010031459A), Oct 10, 1996: Piper PA36300, Kennewick, WA, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Crashed during aerial application. ## Docket (13 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=42525. 2.2 MB in all. - Pilot-operator aircraft accident report NTSB form 61201-2 (item 1, PDF, 6 pages, 398 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604320&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot-Operator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report%20NTSB%20Form%2061201-2-Master.pdf - Witness statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604324&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.pdf - Map of accident location (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 314 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604326&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Map%20of%20Accident%20Location-Master.pdf - FAA inspector's report (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604328&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Report-Master.pdf - Engine examination report (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 295 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604332&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Engine%20Examination%20Report-Master.pdf - Washington state patrol report (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 354 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604336&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Washington%20State%20Patrol%20Report-Master.pdf - Benton county sheriff's report (item 7, PDF, 4 pages, 597 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604338&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Benton%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Report-Master.pdf - Toxicological report (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604340&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.pdf - Photo 1 wreckage viewed from the south photo provided by FAA no negative (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 18 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604344&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201%20%20Wreckage%20viewed%20from%20the%20south%20%20Photo%20provided%20by%20FAA%20no%20negative-Master.pdf - Photo 2 wreckage viewed from the east photo provided by FAA no negative (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 20 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604348&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%202%20%20Wreckage%20viewed%20from%20the%20east%20%20Photo%20provided%20by%20FAA%20no%20negative-Master.pdf - Photo 3 wreckage viewed from the north photo provided by FAA no negative (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 9 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604352&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%203%20%20Wreckage%20viewed%20from%20the%20north%20%20Photo%20provided%20by%20FAA%20no%20negative-Master.pdf - Photo 4 closer view of wreckage viewed from the north photo provided by FAA no negative (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604356&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%204%20%20Closer%20view%20of%20wreckage%20viewed%20from%20the%20north%20%20Photo%20provided%20by%20FAA%20no%20negative-Master.pdf - Photo 5 cockpit photo provided by FAA no negative (item 13, PDF, 1 page, 20 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=1604360&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%205%20%20Cockpit%20%20Photo%20provided%20by%20FAA%20no%20negative-Master.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.