Piper PA-25-235 accident near Miller, Missouri, July 23, 2009
On July 23, 2009 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N6689Z, was involved in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Miller, Missouri (Kingsley Field). 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 failure of the operator to shut down aircraft while conducting servicing which resulted in a ground person being struck by the rotating aircraft propeller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2009 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Miller, Missouri · Kingsley Field · 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
- N6689Z · registry record · serial 25-2302
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aerial application airplane completed its last flight for the day and was parked with the engine running for cooling purposes before it was shut down. A ground support person, who was an aircraft loader, assisted in the cleaning of the airplane with the engine running. The loader began rinsing underneath the airplane and progressed inwards toward the wing root. The loader received serious injuries when he stood up and was stuck three times by the rotating propeller.
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
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
- AC/prop/rotor contact w person during standing (engine(s) operating)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › Operator
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Ground crew
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › (general) › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 921 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 639 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,475 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Plane Cents Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Miller MO
- Destination: PVT Miller MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN09CA469.