Weatherly Aviation CO INC 620B accident near Hatch, New Mexico, July 9, 2015
On July 9, 2015 at about 1:45 pm local time, a 1995 Weatherly Aviation CO INC 620B, registered N2034P, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Hatch, New Mexico. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain obstacle clearance, and the airplane struck a transmission line wire during aerial application operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2015 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hatch, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly Aviation CO INC 620B UNDESIGNAT, built 1995 · all 620Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2034P · no longer on the register · serial 1589
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that upon completion of an aerial application of fungicide, he made an end clean up pass. He reported that the airplane struck a transmission line wire that he did not see, and then impacted the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,780 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 2,720 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 26, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,317 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 21, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E05 Hatch NM at 1:00 pm
- Destination: E05 Hatch NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KSVC, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA15CA171.