Piper PA-25-235 accident near Sparta, MI
On August 13, 2003, a Piper PA-25-235 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sparta, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 13, 2003
- Place
- Sparta, MI
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 43.162°N, 85.658°W
- NTSB ID
- 20030822X01391
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 13, 2003, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N8563L, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the ground while maneuvering near Sparta, Michigan. The airplane was engaged in aerial application at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 137 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The time and location of origin of the flight are undetermined. A witness reported that he observed the airplane heading north at approximately 100 feet above the ground and thought that the airplane was leaving the area after spraying some crops nearby. The witness stated that he began walking back to work, when he heard the aircraft engine suddenly stop, followed by the sound of the impact with the ground. The witness also stated that the engine sounded normal to him and that it did not sputter or backfire before suddenly stopping. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a single-engine airplane rating. The pilot was issued a second class medical certificate on May 23, 2003, with no limitations. According to the pilot's personal log book, he had accumulated a total flight time of 351.2 hours, all of which were in single-engine land airplanes. The pilot purchased the accident aircraft less than a month before the accident. He had accumulated 61.4 hours in the accident aircraft as indicated by his last recorded flight on August 9, 2003. The pilot received agricultural flight training classes from February to April 2003, and was e
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the inadvertent stall/spin encountered. The inadequate fuel supply, airspeed not being maintained, low altitude, and terrain were factors to the accident.
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Browse: Michigan · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
