Piper PA-25-235 accident near Kenmare, North Dakota, August 16, 2001
On August 16, 2001 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N6794Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenmare, North Dakota. 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 failed to maintain clearance with the terrain during the aerial application flight. Factors associated with the accident were the high vegetation and the pilot's diverted attention during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2001 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kenmare, North Dakota · 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
- N6794Z · registry record · serial 25-2439
- 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 airplane collided with the terrain during an aerial application flight. The pilot reported he was applying Roundup RT on a flax field which contained kochia weeds which were about 4 feet tall and the flax was about 18 - 20 inches tall. He reported that this was the second load that he was spaying on this field and he had been dropping flags to mark the spot where he turned on the chemicals. He reported that he flew in over wires and noticed what he thought was a flag directly in line with the pass. In addition, the pilot reported, "I use a Satloc GPS marking system with the light bar attached between the chemical tank and the fuel tank. If the spray is turned on after being turned off while on the same pass, the GPS light bar will blink indicating that the airplane is on a pass that has already been sprayed." The pilot looked at the light bar which was blinking at which time he felt the "...airplane lurch as the wheels touched either the weeds or the flax crop. At the same time as the plane lurched, the chemical in the tank sloshed out of the top of the tank and covered the windshield." The pilot reported that he kept the nose of the airplane up and the airplane settled into the field.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all; 2,350 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,579 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 11, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,893 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2001; 187 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7K5 Kenmare ND at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from MOT, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 CHI01LA281.