Piper PA-25-235 accident near Conrad, Montana, June 20, 1989
On June 20, 1989 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N7001Z, was destroyed in an accident near Conrad, Montana. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE THE GUY WIRE IN TIME TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH IT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1989 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Conrad, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N7001Z · registry record · serial 25-2753
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS APPLYING HERBICIDE ON WHEAT. HE WAS WORKING ALONE AND THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A GUY WIRE SUPPORTING A POWERLINE TOWER. THE LEFT WING TIP HIT THE GUY WIRE AS THE AIRCRAFT PASSED UNDER THE WIRE AND THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND 30 FT BEYOND THE WIRE. THE WEATHER AND SUN GLARE WERE NOT CONSIDERED FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,850 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 1989; 100 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: S01 Conrad MT at 11:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 32 knots, gusting 48
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from CTB, 29 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.
Other NTSB records under N7001Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.