Lenox Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lenox, Iowa 50851
Thursday, May 29, 1986 14:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING A TAKEOFF WITH A FULL LOAD OF CHEMICAL PESTICIDE. COLLISION WITH THE GROUND RESULTED IN A FIRE. THE PLT, WHO WAS SERIOUSLY BURNED AND LATER DIED, STATED ON HIS WAY TO THE HOSPITAL THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO DUMP THE ACFT LOAD BUT GRABBED THE FLAP HANDLE BY MISTAKE WHICH EXTENDED FULL FLAPS. THIS WAS THE PLTS THIRD AG OPERATION ACCIDENT, ONE PREVIOUSLY INVOLVED AN ABORTED TAKEOFF AND CRASH OFF THE END OF A RWY. THE RWY IN USE ON THE DAY OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS GRASS APRX ONE TO TWO FT DEEP OVER ALL BUT A 300 FT SECTION OF MOWED AREA IN MID FIELD THAT WAS USED BY LOCAL FLYERS OF RADIO CONTROLLED MODEL ACFT. THE DENSITY ALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 2200 FT AND THERE WAS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA NORTH OF THE ARPT AND ABOUT TWO MILES SOUTH OF THE RWY. THE PLTS FLT TIME WAS NOT REPORTED AND HIS LOG BOOKS WERE NOT LOCATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LENOX
Event State IOWA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 50851
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LENOX
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OY9
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 1305
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1454 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID LMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 1131
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
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) 981
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31332
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7029Z
NTSB Number MKC86FCD01
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-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235
Aircraft Serial Number 25-27
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 Feb 25 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 5315
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HERMES SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address R. R. 2 - BOX 211
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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 No
Departure Airport Code 0Y9
Departure City LENOX
Departure State IA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 1950
Runway Width 125
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --