Hector Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fargo, North Dakota 58103
Monday, July 12, 1999 10:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

In a written statement, the pilot reported the following. 'I took off from my grass strip at 1050 am with 50 gallons of water containing dye. The purpose of the flight was to spray the dye while flying over the center of a string to determine the swath width and uniformity. I started my swath run about 10 ft off the ground, 1/2 mile north of the string, which was located east and west on the west end of the runway. I was about 300 ft from the string when I spotted the orange cone markers indicating a flight path over the center of the string. Attempting to line up with these cones I lowered a wing into the grain which dragged the aircraft sideways, and upon hitting the ground in this attitude the gear was torn off.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the altitude/clearance not maintained by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FARGO
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58103
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HECTOR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID FAR
Elevation of weather observation facility 909
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1590
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 731
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4652Y
NTSB Number CHI99LA230
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
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 25-4372
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 Mar 24 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4040
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED HECTOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 1
Aircraft Owner City FARGO
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58103
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 HFMG
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
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 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --