Weatherly 620B accident near Newdale, Idaho, July 17, 1997
On July 17, 1997 at about 11:50 am local time, a Weatherly 620B, registered N9022H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Newdale, Idaho. 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's inadequate preflight/planning preparation which resulted in the aircraft exceeding the maximum gross weight, and inability to climb. A factor was high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1997 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Newdale, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Weatherly 620B
- Registration
- N9022H · registry record · serial 1626
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the pilot was unable to climb, and the airplane crashed in a field just beyond the runway about 1 minute after becoming airborne. A post-accident examination of the aircraft's engine revealed no mechanical discrepancies. The FAA inspector assigned to the accident, who talked to the pilot, reported that the pilot took off with full fuel and a full hopper load; a gross weight estimate based on data obtained from the FAA, the pilot, and the aircraft manufacturer indicated that the airplane was approximately 1,830 pounds over its maximum certificated gross weight of 4,000 pounds (per the aircraft's FAA type certificate data sheet), and 330 pounds over the maximum takeoff gross weight for restricted-category operations, at takeoff. Density altitude at Idaho Falls, 40 nautical miles from and about 1,500 feet elevation below the accident area, was computed to be approximately 5,800 feet at the time, based on the hourly observation data being reported at the time.
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: 12,000 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 147 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1997; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1/3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ID at 11:49 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 285° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:47 am from IDA, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 SEA97LA169.