Piper PA-36-300 accident near Mobridge, South Dakota, June 25, 1998
On June 25, 1998 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-36-300, registered N3760E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mobridge, South 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's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines. Factors associated with the accident were the power lines, and the separation of the vertical stabilizer and rudder which resulted in the pilot's inability to maintain directional control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1998 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mobridge, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36-300 · all PA-36-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3760E · registry record · serial 36--790064
- 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 pilot was spraying a field of wheat and was working under non-active power lines going to an abandoned farmstead. During one of the passes the airplane hit one of the wires separating the vertical stabilizer and rudder from the aircraft. The pilot stated that the directional control was lost, but the aircraft continued to fly, wings level, in a skidding turn to the right. Due to an approaching tree line the pilot reduced the engine power and the aircraft impacted level terrain with the wings level. The pilot stated that the aircraft slid to the left, folding the left main gear under the wing.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,120 hours in all; 3,629 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 13,868 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,457 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1997; 248 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MBG Mobridge SD at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from MBG, 360 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.