- Date
- May 29, 2025, 19:00 local (May 30, 2025, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lewiston, MT · Open field
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N90393Weatherly 620B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250529004899A
- Case key
- 200245
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 clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during an aerial application flight, he completed one pass over a field and initiated a climb to return for the second pass. As the climb progressed, he realized he did not have sufficient airspeed or altitude to maintain clearance from the approaching terrain. He was eventually able to complete the turn but did not have sufficient airspeed or altitude to avoid terrain and the airplane struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90393
- Reported as
- Weatherly 620B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1594
- Built
- 1995
- Airframe hours
- 4,915.3
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney 985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2025 · 37.5 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 29, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,326.7 total · 249.7 in this make and model · 1,216.6 as pilot in command · 133 in the last 90 days · 45.5 in the last 30 days · 4.3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- K1NM, 4 nm away
- METAR
- K1NM 300055Z AUTO 16009KT 10SM CLR 25/08 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP099 T02490079 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 26, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.