Piper PA-25-235 N8906L

Summary

On 12 July 1993 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N8906L, operated by Rufener Spraying Service, was involved in an accident near Clarence, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 July 1993 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Clarence, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

39.7405, -92.2606

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N8906L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Rufener Spraying Service

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI93LA251

1 person had minor injuries.

IS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE TREES AT THE END OF THE FIELD TO BE SPRAYED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER SURVEYING FIELD FOR OBSTACLES, THE PILOT COMPLETED AN AG RUN ABOUT 105 MILES PER HOUR. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO SHUT OFF THE SPRAY BOOMS BEFORE THE REQUIRED CHANGE IN ATTITUDE TO EXIT THE FIELD WAS MADE. WHILE LOOKING OVER THE RIGHT WING ROOT TO BE SURE THAT A TREE HAD BEEN CLEARED, SO HE WAS ABLE TO START AN AG-TURN, THE PILOT HEARD 'A SOUND SIMILAR TO A SAW BLADE IN A SAW MILL.' HE LOOKED FORWARD TO FIND THE BRANCHES AND LEAVES OF THE TREE HE THOUGHT HE HAD CLEARED BY 10 FEET OR MORE BEING SLUNG FROM THE PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR, HOPPER, COWLING, PROPELLER, WINGS AND BOTTOM SKIN WERE DAMAGED AS THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP IN A PEA FIELD DURING A CONTROLLED CRASH LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.