Pzl-Mielec M-18A DROMADER accident near Wheatley, Arkansas, June 23, 1993
On June 23, 1993 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Pzl-Mielec M-18A DROMADER, registered N116RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheatley, Arkansas (None airport). 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 PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE BEYOND ITS TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE LIMITATIONS AND INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR WAS HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1993 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wheatley, Arkansas · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pzl-Mielec M-18A DROMADER M-18A DROM
- Registration
- N116RA · registry record · serial 1Z020-02
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AS THE AIRPLANE REACHED THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT DUMPED THE LOAD AND ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO THE TERRAIN COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT HAD BEEN OPERATING AT THE SAME WEIGHTS FROM THE AIRSTRIP ALL DAY. DURING THE DAY, TEMPERATURE INCREASED. FIELD ELEVATION AND DENSITY ALTITUDE WERE 230 AND 2,200 FEET MSL RESPECTIVELY.
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
- Flight time: 1,069 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pezetel ASZ-621R-M18 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW93LA195.