Piper PA-25 accident near Farmville, North Carolina, July 18, 1990
On July 18, 1990 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N8939L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmville, North Carolina. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT PREPARATION WHEN HE DECLINED TO ADD FUEL BETWEEN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHTS. THE ENGINE QUIT AS A RESULT OF FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1990 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Farmville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N8939L · registry record · serial 25-5404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN THE REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT, THE OPERATOR STATED THAT THE AGRICULTURAL PILOT HAD LANDED BETWEEN APPLICATION FLIGHTS. THE CHEMICAL HOPPER WAS REFILLED; HOWEVER, THE PILOT ELECTED NOT TO ADD FUEL. WHILE ENROUTE TO BASE FOLLOWING THE LAST APPLICATION FLIGHT THE ENGINE QUIT BECAUSE OF FUEL EXHAUSTION. A FORCED LANDING ENSUED IN THE ONLY CLEAR AREA AVAILABLE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,765 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,863 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1990; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wa-Lu Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 ATL90DMG03.