Weatherly Aviation CO INC 620B accident near Lewiston, Montana, May 30, 2025
On May 30, 2025 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1995 Weatherly Aviation CO INC 620B, registered N90393, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Lewiston, Montana. 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 failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2025 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Lewiston, Montana · 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, built 1995 · all 620Bs on the register
- Registration
- N90393 · registry record · serial 1594
- 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 during an aerial application flight, he completed one pass over a field and initiated a climb to return for the second pass. As the climb progressed, he realized he did not have sufficient airspeed or altitude to maintain clearance from the approaching terrain. He was eventually able to complete the turn but did not have sufficient airspeed or altitude to avoid terrain and the airplane struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,326.7 hours in all; 249.7 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 45.5 in the last 30 days; 1,216.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,915.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2025; 37.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney 985 (piston); 2,572 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from K1NM, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K1NM 300055Z AUTO 16009KT 10SM CLR 25/08 A2988 RMK AO2 SLP099 T02490079 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N90393 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 WPR25LA165.