Piper PA-25-235 accident near Anamoose, North Dakota, September 6, 2006
On September 6, 2006 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N8501L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anamoose, 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 not maintaining altitude/clearance from terrain during the aerial application pass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2006 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Anamoose, 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
- N8501L · registry record · serial 25-4915
- 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 sustained substantial damage when the airplane contacted terrain during an aerial application pass. The pilot stated, "I came into the field over trees and when I went to level off in the spray pass the airplane wouldn't level and I came into contact with the ground. This knocked the airplane sideways and it spun around and stopped." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,450 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 95 in the last 30 days; 1,450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,349 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2CS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Harvey ND at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from MOT
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.
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.