Piper PA-25-235 accident near Boonville, Missouri, June 30, 2013
On June 30, 2013 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7064Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Boonville, Missouri. 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing on a gravel road.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2013 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boonville, Missouri · 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
- N7064Z · registry record · serial 25-2844
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying, the pilot was looking for a suitable location to load the airplane for agricultural operations (the previously agreed upon location was not accessible). He was texting the ground crew to figure out options. After doing so, he made several low passes to better evaluate the road upon which he planned to land, to evaluate the wing tip clearance from the corn, and to attempt to signal the ground crew of the location change because cellular service was sporadic. The pilot stated that he made the low passes with full flaps and that he also evaluated the wing tip clearance from the corn. After the last pass and during the landing roll, he looked right to ensure that the wing would clear the corn. The airplane then veered left 180 degrees, rolled backward, and impacted terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have caused the loss of directional control during the landing.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,921 hours in all; 1,196 in this make and model; 306 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,831 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,583 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Plane Cents Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Boonville MO at 1:50 pm
- Destination: Boonville MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from VER, 5 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.