Piper PA-25-235 accident near Stratton, Colorado, July 15, 1995
On July 15, 1995 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9801P, was destroyed in an accident near Stratton, Colorado. 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 EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT AS HE INITIATED THE SWATH RUN AND OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1995 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Stratton, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9801P · no longer on the register · serial 257556114
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CONDUCTING HIS FIRST SPRAY RUN ON AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST HIS DESCENT AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND. HE ADDED FULL POWER AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE AIRCRAFT AIRBORNE, BUT IT WOULD NEITHER ACCELERATE NOR CLIMB. AFTER TRANSITING ABOUT ONE HALF MILE ACROSS THE FIELD BEING WORKED, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES AND CARTWHEELED. CALCULATIONS PROVIDED INFORMATION THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 400 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF WHICH WAS ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 420 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 305 as pilot in command; 10 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,502 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 1995; 156 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Joes CO at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.