Piper PA-25 accident near Essex, Iowa, May 21, 1993
On May 21, 1993 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N6453Z, was destroyed in an accident near Essex, Iowa. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE FORWARD SPAR FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY FOR THE RIGHT WING. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF A DIRECTED INSPECTION PROCEDURE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE ISSUANCE OF AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1993 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Essex, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N6453Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-640
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A SWATH RUN, WHEN THE RIGHT WING BUCKLED, AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INTO A DESCENT AND CRASHED. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE FORWARD SPAR FUSELAGE ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY FOR THE RIGHT WING HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE AT THE CLEVIS EARS. ON 9/21/91, THERE WAS A SIMILAR FAILURE OF A PIPER PA-25. ON 5/13/92, THE NTSB MADE AN URGENT RECOMMENDATION TO THE FAA THAT AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (AD) BE ISSUED FOR PIPER PA-25 AIRPLANES TO BE INSPECTED IMMEDIATELY FOR CORROSION AND CRACKING OF THE CLEVIS EARS; THAT IF SUCH CORROSION OR CRACKING WAS FOUND, REPAIRS BE MADE; AND THAT PERIODIC INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS BE ESTABLISHED TO DETECT CRACKS BEFORE THEY BECOME CRITICAL. ON 7/16/92, THE FAA AGREED WITH THE INTENT OF THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT AS OF THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT, NO INSPECTION PROCEDURE WAS IN EFFECT.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 1992; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Shenandoah Flight Services,Inc
The flight
- Departed from: SDA Shenandoah IA
- Destination: SDA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.