Piper PA-18-150 accident near Wheatland, Wyoming, July 2, 1983
On July 2, 1983 at about 7:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N6850Z, was destroyed in an accident near Wheatland, Wyoming. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1983 · about 7:36 pm local time
- Place
- Wheatland, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6850Z · registry record · serial 18-81-33
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT IT IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE ROTATING TO THE LEFT. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND EXTENDED 25 DEG & THE AIRSPEED GAGE WAS FOUND INDICATING 55 KTS. THE T-HANDLE FOR DUMPING THE CHEMICAL LOAD WAS FOUND IN THE STOWED POSITION & HAD NOT BEEN ACTIVATED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK & BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND WITH FUEL REMAINING. FLT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED & THE THROTTLE WAS FOUND IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION. NEITHER THE PLT NOR THE OWNER POSSESSED A CERTIFICATE TO CONDUCT AERIAL APPLICATIONS. ALSO, THERE WAS NO RECORD THAT THE PLT HAD OBTAINED KNOWLEDGE & SKILL TEST, REQUIRED BY 14 CFR 137. THE PLT HAD BEEN ISSUED A 2ND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON 10/23/79 WITH A LIMITATION TO WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES. HOWEVER, NO GLASSES OR CONTACT LENSES WERE FOUND. THE DENSITY ALT WAS APPROX 7200 FT. REPORTEDLY, THE WINDS WERE STRONG & GUSTY.
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: 597 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 19 in the last 30 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,332 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 1983; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:52 pm from CYS, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN83FA156.