Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, North Dakota 58424
Tuesady, June 11, 1996 5:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was trying to spray a very small area of a field, which had wires on one end and trees on the other end. He reported that after descending down to the field, the airplane 'mushed,' and he was unable to climb the airplane quick enough to clear the top of the trees. The pilot did not report any malfunction of the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from trees during an aerial application operation. The wires and trees (obstructions) were related factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 535
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CLEVELAND
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58424
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 547 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID JMS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1498
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1540
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 233
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 11 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 736
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9844P
NTSB Number CHI96LA194
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-25
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25
Aircraft Serial Number 25-7566163
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 3925
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OLSON AERIAL APPLICATIONS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2720 68 TH AVE SE
Aircraft Owner City BUCHANAN
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58420
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 520
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --