Piper PA-25-235 accident near Brewton, Alabama, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7509Z, was destroyed in an accident near Brewton, Alabama. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE LEFT WING RESULTING FROM CORROSION OF THE WING FRONT SPAR FITTING ASSEMBLY. A FACTOR WAS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brewton, Alabama · 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
- N7509Z · no longer on the register · serial PA25-3543
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME WHEN ONE OF THE TWO WING FRONT SPAR FITTING CLEVIS EARS FAILED. EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED COMPONENT UNCOVERED CORROSION BETWEEN THE SECTIONS MAKING UP THE WELDED CLEVIS EAR. THE ACCUMULATION OF CORROSION IS ATTRIBUTED TO CHEMICAL SPRAYED FROM THE AIRPLANE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS NO INSPECTION PROCEDURE SPECIFIED FOR THIS AREA OF THE WING FITTING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NTSB ISSUED A RECOMMENDATION REQUESTING AN INSPECTION PROCEDURE TO PREVENT THE FORMATION OF CORROSION BETWEEN THE LAYERS OF CLEVIS MATERIAL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 200 in the last 30 days; 11,800 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1991; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Mc Cullough AL at 2:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from MOB, 30 miles away
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.