Piper PA-25-235 N9852P

Summary

On 25 August 1990 at about 18:47 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N9852P was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 1990 at 18:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Lubbock, Texas, United States

Coordinates

33.5899, -101.8501

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N9852P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Abernathy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90DQG04

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE DURING A TURN-AROUND MANEUVER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING INTO THE GROUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION AIRPLANE COMPLETED A SWATH RUN AND INITIATED A TURN-AROUND MANEUVER OVER AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THE FINAL PORTION OF THAT MANEUVER, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN, LEFT WING TIP FIRST. DURING IMPACT, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED ABOUT 200 DEG AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 30 FT FROM THE INITIAL GROUND CONTACT POINT, THEN BURNED. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE IN THE TURN-AROUND MANEUVER. HE SAID IT WENT 'STRAIGHT UP THEN DOWN' BEFORE IMPACT. THE OPERATOR SAID HE HAD ADVISED THE PILOT BEFORE THE FLIGHT THAT HE WAS 'GETTING A BIT RECKLESS AND TAKING UNNECESSARY CHANCES.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.