Piper PA-25-235 accident near Mcville, North Dakota, July 13, 1999
On July 13, 1999 at about 1:25 am local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N4590Y, was destroyed in an accident near Mcville, North Dakota (Mcville 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 not attaining a proper climb rate. Factors were the stall/mush and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1999 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Mcville, North Dakota · Mcville Municipal Airport · 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
- N4590Y · no longer on the register · serial 25-4271
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the pilot's third takeoff of the day, the airplane departed the same as the two previous flights. The airplane was downwind of some grain elevators. The airplane had started to lose lift and altitude. He dumped the airplane's chemical load and he said he still would not have enough time to recover because of obstructions. He said that there was a ditch in his flight path and that he decided to put the airplane down there without hurting anyone on the ground. The pilot stated the wings, landing gear, engine, hopper, and fuel tank were damaged in the 'crash'. The wreckage was inspected and no preimpact anomalies were found. The Devils Lake Municipal Airport weather at 2035 was: Wind 110 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 26 degrees C; dew point 17 degrees C; altimeter 29.83 inches of mercury.
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: 1,141 hours in all; 685 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,054 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,594 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 1999; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ND36 ND at 1:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,230 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from DVL, 41 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.