Wsk Pzl Mielec PZL-M-18 accident near Spangle, Washington, June 6, 1992
On June 6, 1992 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Wsk Pzl Mielec PZL-M-18, registered N4685R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spangle, Washington (Spangle 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
ALTITUDE WAS NOT ATTAINED. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: LOAD JETTISON WAS NOT POSSIBLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1992 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Spangle, Washington · Spangle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wsk Pzl Mielec PZL-M-18
- Registration
- N4685R · no longer on the register · serial 1Z012-09
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE BEGINNING OF AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH APPROX 300 GALLONS OF CHEMICAL. AFTER THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF OF THE GRAVEL RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT GAIN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE IN GROUND EFFECT OVER A DITCH AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND CONTINUED FOR A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO JETTISON THE LOAD; HOWEVER, DUE TO A CLOGGED NOZZLE, THE LOAD COULD NOT BE DUMPED. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE ROUGH TERRAIN. THE OWNER HAD THE ENGINE INSPECTED AND REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pzl-Kalisz ASZ-621R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A-1 Aviation INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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 N4685R 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.