On August 17, 1982, a Piper PA-18 (registration N154T) operated by Riggin Spray Service was involved in an aviation accident near Watertown, SD. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
While spraying a sunflower field next to an irrigated alfalfa field, an aircraft rolled inverted and crashed during a turn-around. Humidity near the turn was estimated at 80%, compared to 40% over the sunflower field.
Accident Details
A pilot was conducting aerial application operations on a sunflower field adjacent to an alfalfa field under irrigation. Following the third swath run, the pilot initiated a procedure turn-around over the alfalfa field. During the turn, the aircraft rolled to an inverted attitude, then pitched downward and impacted the ground.
Environmental Conditions
An investigation estimated the humidity in the vicinity of the turn at approximately 80%, while the humidity over the sunflower field was estimated at about 40%. The crash site elevation was 1860 feet. The temperature was approximately 85°F, and the altimeter setting was 30.12 inches of mercury.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures.