Pzl-Mielec M-18A accident near Carrington, North Dakota, July 22, 1995
On July 22, 1995 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Pzl-Mielec M-18A, registered N80225, was destroyed in an accident near Carrington, North Dakota (Carrington Municipal 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 pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation. Factors relating to the accident were: the airplane's excessive gross weight, and the unfavorable wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1995 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carrington, North Dakota · Carrington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl-Mielec M-18A
- Registration
- N80225 · registry record · serial 1Z025-05
- 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 LOADED TO A CALCULATED GROSS WEIGHT OF 10,653 FOR AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE MAXIMUM CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT FOR THE PLANE WAS 10,360 POUNDS, BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS AUTHORIZED TO EXCEED THAT WEIGHT FOR THIS MISSION. THE PILOT PREPARED TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 3, SINCE RUNWAY 31 (A LONGER RUNWAY) WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE RUN-UP WAS NORMAL. HE SAID THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AND SEEMED TO BE FLYING AS ALWAYS; HOWEVER, IT THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND ABOUT 321 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED ABOUT 320 FEET BEFORE HITTING A DITCH AND A GRAVEL TRUCK. THE TRUCK DRIVER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE THERE WERE TWO ROWS OF TREES (ABOUT 40 FEET IN HEIGHT) SITUATED NORTH AND SOUTH, JUST TO THE EAST OF THE AIRPORT. HE SAID THE AIR WAS VERY UNSTABLE DUE TO THE TURBULENCE CREATED BY THE NORTHWEST WIND COMING OFF THE TREES. THE PILOT OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE, WHO HAD BEEN SPRAYING A FIELD NEARBY, REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE SHIFTING FROM THE NORTHWEST TO THE SOUTHWEST AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS 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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 225 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1995; 225 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,360 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pzl-Kalisz KAD-315008 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,255 ft by 43 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:48 pm from JMS, 37 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.
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.