Piper PA-25-235 N7051Z

Summary

On 20 August 2011 at about 17:39 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N7051Z was involved in an accident near Whitewood, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 August 2011 at 17:39

Classification

Accident

Location

Whitewood, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Black Hills -- Clyde Ice Field (SPF)

Coordinates

44.4811, -103.7858

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N7051Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sturgis → Belle Fourche

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11LA581

1 person died.

The pilot's collision with terrain for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane owner stated that the pilot was applying insecticide to an alfalfa field about 12 miles north of the departure airport. The pilot had completed three application flights without incident prior to the accident flight. A witness located about 2 miles south of the field reported that she observed the accident airplane and everything seemed to be normal. She subsequently observed the airplane depart the area in the general direction of the accident site. The airplane impacted a hill along the east side of a valley. The impact point was located about 14 feet below the crest of the hill, which led up to a plateau. The land owner located the wreckage about 40 minutes after the witness observed the airplane departing the area. A postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.