Piper PA-25-235 accident near Faith, South Dakota, June 18, 2011
On June 18, 2011 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7018Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Faith, South Dakota (Faith Municipal 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
The pilot's improper turn while maneuvering during an agricultural application flight, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2011 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Faith, South Dakota · Faith Municipal · 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
- N7018Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-2773
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing an agricultural spray run, the pilot attempted to make a tight, climbing turn without extending out over an adjacent river bank. As he started the climbing turn, the airplane stalled and there was not enough altitude to recover. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. The river bank was about 250 feet above the height of the field. The pilot stated that there were no problems with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He commented that making a wider turn, outside of the river bank, might have prevented the accident.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,711 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 16, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D07 Faith SD at 1:00 pm
- Destination: D07 Faith SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from D07, 15 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.