Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18A accident near Waldenburg, Arkansas, June 20, 1997
On June 20, 1997 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18A, registered N148RA, was destroyed in an accident near Waldenburg, Arkansas (Private 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 improper planning/decision. The short runway and failure to use up to 10 degrees of flaps were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1997 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Waldenburg, Arkansas · Private
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wsk Pzl Mielec M-18A
- Registration
- N148RA · no longer on the register · serial 1Z013-21
- Damage
- Destroyed
- 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, the fully loaded agricultural airplane failed to become airborne. Subsequently, it overran the 2,100 foot runway and impacted the lip of a ditch at the end of the runway. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by the operator revealed that the flaps were in the full up position. The operator reported that he normally used flaps for takeoff, and the airplane flight manual indicated that takeoff flap settings of up to 10 degrees were approved for use as conditions required.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,167 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 1997; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,260 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pezetel ASZ-621R-M18 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from JBR, 21 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.
Other NTSB records under N148RA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.