Piper PA-25-235 accident near Holland, Michigan, November 23, 1985
On November 23, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7424Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Park Township airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Park Township · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N7424Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-3400
- 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 ACFT CRASHED DURING A FORCED LNDG AFTER A LOSS OF POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT SAID THAT HE DRAINED FUEL FROM THE MAIN FUEL STRAINER AND FOUND NO WATER IN THE FUEL PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE ACFT CARBURETOR WAS DISASSEMBLED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THE FLOAT CHAMBER WAS FULL OF ICE. THE MAIN FUEL STRAINER WAS ALSO FOUND FULL OF ICE. THE FUEL CAME FROM THE OWNERS PICK-UP TRUCK AND WAS NOT CHECKEDFOR WATER. AFTER THE ACCIDENT IT WAS CHECKED AND WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SOURCE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,609 hours in all; 947 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,451 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,018 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1985; 209 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,075 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.