Piper PA 25-235 accident near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, July 3, 2014
On July 3, 2014 at about 1:00 pm local time, a 1969 Piper PA 25-235, registered N8730L, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Rhinelander, Wisconsin. 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
A loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper inflight planning and reliance of fuel gauge readings, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2014 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rhinelander, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 25-235, built 1969 · all PA 25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8730L · registry record · serial 25-5191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A pre-flight inspection of the airplane before an aerial application flight revealed the airplane's fuel tank quantity was 3/4 full of fuel. Two aerial application flights lasted approximately one hour. The aircraft was loaded a third time. The loader inquired if the aircraft needed fuel. The pilot checked the fuel gauge and informed the loader that there was slightly less than 1/2 tank. He said that the airplane would require fuel on the next load. The aircraft departed and flew for approximately 10 minutes. The engine stopped producing power, the pilot jettisoned the load, and he performed a forced landing on an adjacent field. The airplane nosed over and sustained substantial wing, fuselage, and empennage damage. No fuel was found on-scene in the airplane's fuel tanks or under the inverted airplane. Fuel was added to the fuel tank and the engine operated. According to the Federal Aviation Administration publication, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, "aircraft certification rules require accuracy in fuel gauges only when they read 'empty.' Any reading other than 'empty' should be verified. Do not depend solely on the accuracy of the fuel quantity gauges."
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
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 336 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 261 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 12, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,562 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 9,902 hours total
- Operator: Walker Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Rhinelander WI at 12:50 pm
- Destination: Rhinelander WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KRHI, 11 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.