Piper PA-25-260 accident near Hazelton, North Dakota, June 22, 1990
On June 22, 1990 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-260, registered N4988Y, was destroyed in an accident near Hazelton, North Dakota. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT DURING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 1990 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hazelton, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-260 · all PA-25-260s on the register
- Registration
- N4988Y · registry record · serial 25-4797
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED THAT HE STARTED UNDER A WIRE WHILE ON AN AERIAL SPRAYING FLIGHT, BUT COULD REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE. THE OPERATOR SAID THE PLANE WAS MANEUVERING FOR A SPRAY PASS AND CLIMBED INTO AT LEAST THREE POWER LINES, SEVERING TWO AND FRAYING THE THIRD. THE PLANE STRUCK THE GROUND LEFT WING LOW AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE WRECKAGE WAS DESTROYED IN A POSTACCIDENT FIRE. WITNESSES PULLED THE UNCONSCIOUS PILOT FROM THE BURNING WRECKAGE. THE PILOT'S MEDICAL SHOWED A VISION WAIVER AND REQUIRED THE AIRMAN TO WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE THE PILOT WORE CORRECTIVE LENSES DURING THIS FLIGHT.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,310 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 35 in the last 30 days; 8,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-G1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Midwest Air Center
The flight
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.