Piper PA-12 N7715H

Summary

On 27 August 1982 at about 22:30 local time, a Piper PA-12 registered N7715H, operated by LEE Ruhn, was involved in an accident near Oakes, North Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 August 1982 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Oakes, North Dakota, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-12

Registration

N7715H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

LEE Ruhn

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oakes → Oakes

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN82FTG06

2 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS BLACKBIRD CONTROL OF A SUNFLOWER FIELD. THERE WAS SPECULATION BY LOCAL RESIDENTS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING USED TO SPREAD POISONED CORN. THIS WAS SUBSTANTIATED WHEN CORN AND A PORTION OF AN AVITROL BAG WERE FOUND LATER AT THE CRASH SITE. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE, THEN PULLED UP OVER A ROW OF TREES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. IT THEN PROCEEDED SOUTH TOWARD THE TOWN OF OAKES, ND AND MADE A STEEP TURN IN THE VICINITY OF THE PILOT'S HOME. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS JUST ABOVE THE ROOFTOPS AND SEEMED TO SETTLE AND COLLIDE WITH A HOUSE. AFTER IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT BURST INTO FLAME. THE AIRCRAFT AND A PORTION OF THE HOUSE WERE DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND FIRE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.