Piper PA-25-235 accident near Ripley, Indiana, June 18, 1982
On June 18, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N8544L, was destroyed in an accident near Ripley, Indiana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ripley, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8544L · registry record · serial 25-5420
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PILOT ARRIVED TO SPRAY THE FIELD FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE SAW POWERLINES ALONG A ROAD AND SAW POLES ON BOTH SIDES OF A CREEK. HE ASSUMED THAT ALL OF THE LINES FOLLOWED THE ROAD. HE WAS UNAWARE THAT A POWERLINE CROSSED THE NARROW FIELD THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO SPRAY. THE FIRST SWATH RUN WAS STARTED BY CROSSING OVER A BLUFF. AS THE PILOT BEGAN TO SPRAY, HE SAW THE POWERLINE AND DOVE TO AVOID A COLLISION. REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO RECOVER. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE GEAR COLLAPSED INTO THE WINGS AND FUSELAGE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 617 hours in all; 428 in this make and model; 142 in the last 90 days; 474 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,576 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 147 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M31 Halls TN at 2:40 pm
- Destination: M31 Halls TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 190°F (88°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.