Weatherly 620A accident near Melville, North Dakota, May 24, 2003
On May 24, 2003, a Weatherly 620A, registered N4650W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melville, North Dakota. 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 wires. The low altitude operation and the wires were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2003
- Place
- Melville, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly 620A
- Registration
- N4650W · no longer on the register · serial 1539
- 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 aircraft was substantially damaged following an in-flight collision with wires and, subsequently, the terrain during an aerial application pass. The pilot reported he got too close to a set of wires and they caught the wing. He stated that this collision took him over another set of wires and he subsequently impacted the ground. He reported no malfunctions with the aircraft or engine prior to 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: November 6, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,673 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 46D Carrington ND at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from JMS, 28 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.
Other NTSB records under N4650W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.