Piper PA-25-235 accident near Thomasville, Georgia, October 24, 1991
On October 24, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7501Z, was destroyed in an accident near Thomasville, Georgia (Unknown airport). 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
A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE DURING THE FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Thomasville, Georgia · Unknown · 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
- N7501Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-3528
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AG PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. HE TURNED TOWARD A HARVESTED COTTON FIELD TO PERFORM A FORCED LANDING. HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE, AND THE ENGINE RESTARTED, THEN QUIT AGAIN. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, SEPARATING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AT IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE SLID ABOUT 50 FEET, CAME TO A STOP, AND CAUGHT FIRE. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN AT A HIGH SINK RATE. TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INDICATION OF FUEL CONTAMINATION DURING HIS PREFLIGHT. FIRE DAMAGE PRECLUDED EXAMINING THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SUPPLY FOR CONTAMINANTS.
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
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from VAD, 45 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.
Other NTSB records under N7501Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.