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19980721016759A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Ayres S-2R · Shafter, CA · July 21, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 21, 1998 · 07:15 local
Place
Shafter, CA
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator
PWWG
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8960Q
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98LA238
Reported as
Ayres S2R
Reported engine
Garrett TPE3316252M
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
8,000 total440 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days
N8960QRegistered now · Ayres S-2RS/N 2450R · Built 1978Airframe modelAyres S-2REngine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The airplane collided with an irrigation standpipe while applying chemicals to a field. The pilot stated that this was the last pass over the cotton field in an easterly direction. The sun had just risen and was reflecting off a clear plastic crop cover located next to the standpipe and the glare made it difficult to see straight ahead. The pilot stated that he saw the standpipe at the last minute and attempted to maneuver around it by pulling the aircraft up. After colliding with the standpipe, he made an emergency landing and came to rest inverted. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the aircraft. According to a computer generated sun/moon astrological program, the magnetic bearing to the sun was 60.7 degrees, and it was approximately 14.4 degrees above the horizon. (-23) pilot, on the east bound pass was distracted by sun directly in his eyes and reflection of sun off of plastic cover over test pilot next to the irrigation stand pipe and forgot about the stand pipe until he saw it too late to avoid it.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH AN IRRIGATION STANDPIPE WHILE APPLYING CHEMICALS TO A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE LAST PASS OVER THE COTTON FIELD IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION. THE SUN HAD JUST RISEN AND WAS REFLECTING OFF A CLEAR PLASTIC CROP COVER LOCATED NEXT TO THE STANDPIPE AND THE GLARE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW THE STANDPIPE AT THE LAST MINUTE AND ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AROUND IT BY PULLING THE AIRCRAFT UP. AFTER COLLIDING WITH THE STANDPIPE, HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE NOTED WITH THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO A COMPUTER GENERATED SUN/MOON ASTROLOGICAL PROGRAM, THE MAGNETIC BEARING TO THE SUN WAS 60.7 DEGREES, AND IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 14.4 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON. (-23) PILOT, ON THE EAST BOUND PASS WAS DISTRACTED BY SUN DIRECTLY IN HIS EYES AND REFLECTION OF SUN OFF OF PLASTIC COVER OVER TEST PILOT NEXT TO THE IRRIGATION STAND PIPE AND FORGOT ABOUT THE STAND PIPE UNTIL HE SAW IT TOO LATE TO AVOID IT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98LA238Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportShafter, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from the irrigation standpipe due to glare from the rising sun.Jul 21, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8960Q · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20211103018019ATakeoff: Climb Out · Shafter, CAAt approximately 1930 UTC on November 3, 2021, [privacy data omitted] departed kmit for L88 in N890Q. Soon after takeoff N890Q impacted the terrain in a right wing low, nose down, unusual attitude. The main wreckage was partially consumed by post impact fire.…Nov 3, 2021 · Destroyed · 1 fatal