Piper PA-25-150 accident near New Rockford, North Dakota, August 13, 1984
On August 13, 1984 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-150, registered N6431Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Rockford, North 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1984 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Rockford, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-150 · all PA-25-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6431Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-584
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED, 'ON SPRAY RUN. GOT TO CLOSE TO SUNFLOWERS. WHEN I STARTED HITTING THEM ON THE LANDING GEAR THE PLANE SLOWED DOWN AND DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPEED OR POWER TO GET OUT SO THE PLANE LANDED IN THE SUNFLOWER FIELD IN ABOUT 50 YARDS.' SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTED TO THE LANDING GEAR, WINGS, PROP, AND FUSELAGE.
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: 446 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 376 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,425 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 28, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-230-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: New Rockford ND at 1:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from JMS, 73 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.