Piper PA-25-235 accident near Bradshaw, Nebraska, August 16, 1997
On August 16, 1997 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N8622L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bradshaw, Nebraska. 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 clearance from the terrain. Factors contributing to this accident were the pilot's diverted attention due to the problems with his global positioning flagger equipment and the other ag- airplane, and the crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1997 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bradshaw, Nebraska · 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
- N8622L · no longer on the register · serial 25-5052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In his written statement, the pilot said that while en route to the fields to be sprayed, he was distracted by problems with the on board 'global positioning flagger' equipment. 'I called the base to get assistance on getting the light bar to work. After circling the field several times, I discovered that I had inadvertently turned the light bar off and I switched it back on.' The pilot circled around to re-enter the field on which he made his first aerial application pass. He reported that upon completing his second pass he observed another ag-plane entering the area. The pilot reported that because of the distraction, and the downwind turn, he was '...wide off my mark.' The pilot maneuvered the airplane to line up on the field. 'As I entered the field, I realized that I was having a problem with lift. But before I was able to increase throttle or dump the load, the plane was starting to sink in the corn.' The airplane then impacted into the field and came to a stop. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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: 1,050 hours in all; 735 in this make and model; 1,020 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,082 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NE86 Sutton NE at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from AUH, 22 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.