Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Iroquois, South Dakota 57353
Sunday, May 17, 1992 20:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES NEAR THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT SAW THE AIRPLANE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS TO A WHEAT FIELD. THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE COMPLETE A SWATH RUN AND THEN DESCEND INTO THE TERRAIN AS IT TURNED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD. A REVIEW OF THE PILOTS LOG BOOK REVEALED MINIMAL EXPERIENCE CONDUCTING AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN IMPROPER MANEUVER AND FAILURE TO ATTAIN LEVEL OFF BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2025
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City IROQUOIS
Event State SOUTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 57353
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2314
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47191
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4427Y
NTSB Number CHI92DTK01
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235
Aircraft Serial Number 25-4050
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 4 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DREW DALE METTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address R.R. 2, BOX 112
Aircraft Owner City IROQUOIS
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57353
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DREW DALE METTER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RR2 BOX 112
Operator City IROQUOIS
Operator State SD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 57353
Operator Code YMLG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
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 10:35AM
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 --