Primary finding
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from trees during an aerial application operation. The wires and trees (obstructions) were related factors.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that he was trying to spray a very small area of a field, which had wires on one end and trees on the other end. He reported that after descending down to the field, the airplane 'mushed,' and he was unable to climb the airplane quick enough to clear the top of the trees. The pilot did not report any malfunction of the aircraft.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 11, 1996, at 0535 central daylight time (cdt), a Piper PA25, N9844P, was destroyed when the airplane impacted with trees at the end of a field, near Cleveland, North Dakota. The pilot was applying weed killer to the field, at the time of the accident. The commercial rated pilot was uninjured in the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 flight was operating in VFR conditions, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight. The pilot reported on the NTSB form 6120.1/2 that he was trying to spray a very small area of field which had wires on one end, and trees on the other end. The pilot wrote that after descending down to the field the airplane "mushed", and he was unable to climb the airplane quick enough to clear the top of the trees at the end of the field. The pilot did not list any malfunctions with the aircraft on the accident report. The airplane's right wing and right landing gear were bent back approximately 90 degrees. The fuselage was buckled between the tail and the cabin area. The engine was separated from the airframe, and the left wing was burned. -