Piper PA-25-235 accident near Princess Anne, Maryland, September 23, 1988
On September 23, 1988 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7781Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Princess Anne, Maryland. 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 23, 1988 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Princess Anne, Maryland · 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
- N7781Z · registry record · serial 25-3983
- 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 HE HAD SPRAYED APRX 1/2 OF THE SOYBEAN FIELD WHEN SMOKE STARTED TO FILL THE COCKPIT. HE SHUT OFF THE SPRAY, TURNED OFF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND OPENED THE FRESH AIR VENTS. HE THEN LOOKED BACK AT THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND NOTED THAT THE AREA NEAR THE BATTERY WAS GLOWING RED AND EMITTING SMOKE. HE THEN DECIDED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING FEARING THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD CATCH FIRE IF THE FLIGHT WAS CONTINUED. THE LANDING WAS MADE ONTO A CURVED DIRT ROAD. WHILE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A TURN, THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED A DIRT BANK AND THE AIRPLANE VEERED INTO A DITCH ALONG THE ROAD. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT BATTERY CABLE WAS CORRODED, SHORTED OUT AND WAS BEGINNING TO BURN.
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: 1,397 hours in all; 934 in this make and model; 146 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,591 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1988; 222 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Agri-Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Atlantic VA at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from SBY, 11 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.