Piper PA-25-235 accident near Plymouth, North Carolina, September 17, 1986
On September 17, 1986 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9513P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, North Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1986 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9513P · registry record · serial 257405600
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION WHILE DISPERSING CHEMICALS OVER A PEANUT CROP, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT DUMPED THE LOAD OF CHEMICALS AND MADE A HARD FULL STALL FORCED LANDING IN THE PEANUT FIELD. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAGNETO IMPULSE COUPLING HAD FAILED. THE COUPLING FRAGMENTS BECAME LODGED IN THE ACCESSORY CASE OF THE ENGINE AND SEPARATED THE CAMSHAFT DRIVE GEAR WHICH RENDERED THE ENGINE POWERLESS. AD78-09-07 R3 REQUIRES INSPECTION OF THE IMPULSE COUPLING AT INTERVALS NOT TO EXCEED 500 HOURS TIME IN SERVICE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE SUBJECT MAGNETO HAD 576 HOURS TIME IN SERVICE AND HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - MECH FAILURE/MALF during maneuvering - turn to reverse direction
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea, ASE, APLN, none
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,720 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, July 23, 1986; 177 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-62C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PMZ Plymouth NC at 12:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 29 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL86LA261.