Piper PA-25 accident near Edmonson, Texas, July 10, 1982
On July 10, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N4979Y, was destroyed in an accident near Edmonson, Texas. 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 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
- July 10, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Edmonson, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N4979Y · no longer on the register · serial 25-4730
- 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 HAD BEEN SPRAYING THE FIELD FOR ABOUT 1 HR AND WAS ON THE LAST PASS. THE OWNER/FLAGGER STATED THAT HE HAD WARNED THE PILOT (BY USING A TWO WAY RADIO) TO WATCH OUT FOR A STANDPIPE AND RADIO ANTENNA, AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED. HE REPORTED THE PLANE WAS ON ITS LAST PASS AND APPEARED TO BE HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE ANTENNA. IN THE VICINITY OF THE ANTENNA, HE OBSERVED THE PLANE PULL UP STEEPLY, ROLL TO THE RIGHT, THEN GO DOWN AND IMPACT THE GROUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE CRASHED ABOUT 125 FT BEYOND A FIBERGLASS WHIP ANTENNA. THE ANTENNA WAS ABOUT 1 INCH IN DIAMETER AT ITS BASE AND TAPERED TO VERY THIN AT THE TOP, ABOUT 75 TO 85 FT AGL. ABOUT 12 FT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE TOP OF THE ANTENNA. AFTER IMPACTING THE GROUND, THE PLANE BURNED AND WAS DEMOLISHED. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE PILOT DIED ABOUT 10 MIN AFTER BEING REMOVED FROM THE BURNING PLANE.
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: 26,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,018 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Plainview TX
- Destination: Plainview TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 180°F (82°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.