Piper PA-25 accident near Musselshell, Montana, July 13, 1991
On July 13, 1991 at about 3:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-25, registered N9792P, was destroyed in an accident near Musselshell, Montana. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL STALL AT LOW ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1991 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Musselshell, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25 · all PA-25s on the register
- Registration
- N9792P · no longer on the register · serial 25-7556106
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE TO APPLY THE BRAKE TO THE WIND DRIVEN CHEMICAL PUMP. WHEN THE AIRPLANE STALLED, THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND AT THIS MOMENT, THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE DROPPED TO NEAR VERTICAL TO THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIRPLANE THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,286 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 8,995 as pilot in command; 1,890 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Musselshell MT at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N9792P 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.