Delta Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delta, Utah 84624
Saturday, May 12, 2007 9:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness stated that he observed the airplane begin a climb at the end of a spray run on the field. It subsequently made an abrupt bank to the right in a nose high attitude, and then dove toward the terrain. A post impact fire consumed the airplane. The orientation of the wreckage was consistent with the pilot being in a course reversal turn back toward the field for another spray pass at the time of impact. The pilot was an airline pilot and had been conducting agricultural operations part time for the past 5 years and had accumulated about 200 hours in the accident make and model airplane. The accident flight was the first time the pilot had sprayed that specific field. No unusual meteorological phenomena was reported by the closest weather station or observed by witnesses to the accident. An examination of the wreckage revealed that all major components were accounted for at the accident site; flight control continuity could not be established due to the extensive fragmentation and thermal damage of the wreckage. The wreckage and ground scars were consistent with the airplane impacting the terrain in a nose-low, almost vertical attitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in a stall and collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Delta
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84624
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 392300N
Event Location Longitude 1123000W
Event Location Airport Delta Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DTA
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 4759
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 840 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID DTA
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22856
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 12 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SLC-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7739Z
NTSB Number LAX07LA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 25-3916
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bruce Clark
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Spanish Fork
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84660
Operator is an individual? No
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 --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Delta
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 17 2007 5:24PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --