Piper PA 25-235 accident near Ray City, Georgia, September 11, 1982
On September 11, 1982 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA 25-235, registered N7687Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ray City, Georgia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- September 11, 1982 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ray City, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 25-235 · all PA 25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N7687Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-3841
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS SPRAYING CROPS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SKIP AND BACKFIRE. HE DECIDED TO TERMINATE THE SWATH RUN AND CLIMB FROM THE FIELD. AT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT CLIMBED AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE BEFORE GLIDING TO A NEARBY SOYBEAN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING PHASE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT DUCTING WAS DISCONNECTED, THUS RENDERING IT INOPERATIVE. THE NEAREST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY REPORTED THAT THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 86 AND 70 DEGREES, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE POWER AND VISIBLE ICING AT CRUISE POWER.
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: 1,260 hours in all; 685 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 1,209 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,263 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-520-B25C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Nashville GA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: Nashville GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 185°F (85°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.