Piper PA-25-235 accident near Atwood, Kansas, June 29, 1984
On June 29, 1984 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N6797Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atwood, Kansas. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1984 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Atwood, Kansas · 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
- N6797Z · no longer on the register · serial 25-2444
- 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 A SWATH RUN, THE ENG BEGAN LOSING POWER. THE PLT PULLED UP & LOOKED FOR A PLACE TO LAND, THEN DUMPED HIS CHEMICAL LOAD. ENG RPM CONTINUED DECREASING SO HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD THAT WAS BEING SUMMER FALLOWED. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE HAD BECOME FROZEN SHUT & THE PUSH ROD HAD BENT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,298 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 1,153 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1984; 141 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ADT Atwood KS at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 am from GLD, 25 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.