Piper PA-25-235 accident near Lamar, Colorado, May 27, 1997
On May 27, 1997 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N4829Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lamar, 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
Failure of the left magneto and crank shaft idler drive gears. Factors were failure to perform a 100 hour inspection and unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1997 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lamar, 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
- N4829Y · no longer on the register · serial 25-4621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting an aerial application swath run the engine lost all power and the pilot conducted a forced landing in a field with high vegetation which was unsuitable for a forced landing. Examination of the engine provided evidence of failure of both the left magneto drive gear and crankshaft idler gear. Examination of the aircraft records provided information that over 247 hours had been accumulated on the aircraft since the last 100 hour inspection and that an Airworthiness Directive directed at the magnetos had been complied with.
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: 3,172 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,114 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,341 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1996; 3 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAA at 4:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from LAA, 5 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.
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.