On June 11, 2005, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N8619L) was involved in an aviation accident near Mapleton, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain clearance from an object during the precautionary landing. The heavy rain and the unknown object were factors. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot landed in a soybean field during heavy rain and low visibility, resulting in damage to the aircraft's right wing from an unknown object.
What happened
The aircraft sustained damage while conducting an off-airport precautionary landing. According to the pilot's report, the flight was diverted due to encountering heavy rain conditions. The pilot elected to land the airplane in a nearby soybean field.
Weather reports for the area indicated severe weather, with heavy rain and visibility reduced to between 1/2 and 3/4 statute mile. Upon landing, the right wing of the aircraft struck an unknown object, causing significant damage to that section of the airframe.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage confirmed that the right wing was damaged due to impact with an unknown object on the ground during the off-airport landing. No further mechanical anomalies were noted in the provided source text.