What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On aug 15, 1998 after a preflight inspection and loading 70 gal of fuel and 150 gal of chemicals in N5506X a rockwell international S-2R aircraft. At approximately 0800 hrs Mr. Billy e phillips departed the double r flight service airstrip in Colquitt ga. Flying northwest for approximately 7 nautical mile, Mr. Phillips started his first pass in a cotton field was uneventful, after turning around for his second Mr. Phillips noted the distance from his aircraft to a irrigation system, planning to over fly the system Mr. Phillips looked away into the cotton field after returning his attention to the irrigation system, Mr. Phillips realized he was too close to fly over it. Mr. Phillips attempted to use all his skill to clear the system but did not make it. His propeller was the first to impact with the system, severing a 4 inch water pipe and support structure. The wing tips were removed by the support structure. Still trying to fly the aircraft he traveled 40 feet through the cotton and the nose of the aircraft hit terrain ripping off the prop and gearbox from the front of the PT6 engine. Bouncing and flipping over the left wing dragged the ground destroying the wing and rippingopen the fuel tank. The aircraft came to rest inverted. With fuel leaking out Mr. Phillips was able to exit the aircraft. After walking away from the aircraft a post fire consumed the aircraft. Mr. Phillips was hospitalized for observation and minor injuries. Mr. Phillips stated that he misjudged t he distance and that nothing was wrong with aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUG 15, 1998 AFTER A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND LOADING 70 GAL OF FUEL AND 150 GAL OF CHEMICALS IN N5506X A ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL S-2R AIRCRAFT. AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 HRS MR. BILLY E PHILLIPS DEPARTED THE DOUBLE R FLIGHT SERVICE AIRSTRIP IN COLQUITT GA. FLYING NORTHWEST FOR APPROXIMATELY 7 NAUTICAL MILE, MR. PHILLIPS STARTED HIS FIRST PASS IN A COTTON FIELD WAS UNEVENTFUL, AFTER TURNING AROUND FOR HIS SECOND MR. PHILLIPS NOTED THE DISTANCE FROM HIS AIRCRAFT TO A IRRIGATION SYSTEM, PLANNING TO OVER FLY THE SYSTEM MR. PHILLIPS LOOKED AWAY INTO THE COTTON FIELD AFTER RETURNING HIS ATTENTION TO THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, MR. PHILLIPS REALIZED HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO FLY OVER IT. MR. PHILLIPS ATTEMPTED TO USE ALL HIS SKILL TO CLEAR THE SYSTEM BUT DID NOT MAKE IT. HIS PROPELLER WAS THE FIRST TO IMPACT WITH THE SYSTEM, SEVERING A 4 INCH WATER PIPE AND SUPPORT STRUCTURE. THE WING TIPS WERE REMOVED BY THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE. STILL TRYING TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT HE TRAVELED 40 FEET THROUGH THE COTTON AND THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT HIT TERRAIN RIPPING OFF THE PROP AND GEARBOX FROM THE FRONT OF THE PT6 ENGINE. BOUNCING AND FLIPPING OVER THE LEFT WING DRAGGED THE GROUND DESTROYING THE WING AND RIPPINGOPEN THE FUEL TANK. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED. WITH FUEL LEAKING OUT MR. PHILLIPS WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER WALKING AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT A POST FIRE CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. MR. PHILLIPS WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR OBSERVATION AND MINOR INJURIES. MR. PHILLIPS STATED THAT HE MISJUDGED T HE DISTANCE AND THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.