# Accident 19980716021219A: Airtrc AT400, Tranquillity, CA, July 16, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 16, 1998, 22:05 local time
- Place: Tranquillity, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: RQIG
- Location: 36.6500° N, 120.2796° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6500&lon=-120.2796&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2373V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2373V-2000-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-400 (registry code 0390202, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-400) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRTRC AT400
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A15AG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 20,000 total, 8,000 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA233) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980716021219A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

SEVERED TOP OF VERTICAL STABILIZER ON A UNSEEN TELEPHONE LINE DURING NIGHT SPRAY RUN. GROUND LOOPED LANDING. (-23) PILOT PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION AT NIGHT FAILED TO NOTICE PHONE CABLE STRUNG BELOW POWER LINE. VERTICAL STABILIZER STRUCK CABLE SEVERING THE TOP OF THE STABILIZER AND RUDDER CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO BE NEARLY UNCONTROLLABLE.  PILOT MADE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING.  GROUND LOOP AND FURTHER DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. (.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AT A NEW FIELD, AND HE HAD NOT VISUALLY INSPECTED THE FIELD BEFORE SPRAYING IT.  HE MADE A PASS OVER THE FIELD TO CHECK FOR WIRES, AND DID NOT SEE ANY.  ON THE SECOND PASS HE SAW A STEEL POWER CABLE STRUNG BETWEEN POLES THAT WAS IN HIS FLIGHT PATH.  THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS TOO LATE TO PULL UP TO AVOID THE CABLE, AND HE PUSHED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TO FLY UNDERNEATH IT.  THE AIRCRAFT, EQUIPPED WITH A WIRE DEFLECTOR, STRUCK A TELEPHONE WIRE UNDERNEATH THE INITIAL STEEL CABLE.  THE WIRE DEFLECTOR AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT BEGAN TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL AND ROLL CONTROL, AND HE PUSHED THE NOSE TOWARDS THE GROUND AND MADE A FORCED LANDING.  THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WER E NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE ENGINE OR FLIGHT CONTROLS PRIOR TO STRIKING THE WIRES. THE NIGHT WAS DARK WITH NO MOON.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA233), Jul 17, 1998: Air Tractor AT-400 (N2373V), Tranquillity, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to detect and avoid a set of wires during a night aerial application flight. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to perform an adequate preflight inspection of the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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