Piper PA-25-235 accident near Royal, Iowa, August 3, 2009
On August 3, 2009 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N6701Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Royal, Iowa. 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
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the crop during an aerial application maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2009 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Royal, Iowa · 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
- N6701Z · registry record · serial 25-2308
- 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 aerial application airplane, while spraying a field, descended into crops and sustained substantial damage on impact with the crops. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane reference the flight.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 350 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2009
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hoppe Air Service LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SPW Spencer IA at 1:15 pm
- Destination: SPW Spencer IA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from SPW, 10 miles away
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.
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.