# Accident 19981002039869A: Cessna A188B, Tallassee, AL, October 2, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 2, 1998, 08:35 local time
- Place: Tallassee, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: LYKG
- Location: 31.7109° N, 87.4092° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7109&lon=-87.4092&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4832R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4832R-2012-12-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A188B (registry code 2073005, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a188b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A188B
- Reported engine: CONT IO520D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 620 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA002) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981002039869A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON OCTOBER 2, 1998, ABOUT 0835 EASTER DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA A188B AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N4832R, COLLLIDED WITH A HIGH TENSION LINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND WHILE SPRAYING A FIELD IN TALLASSEE, ALABAMA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY MORRIS FLYING SERVICES, INC., UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE RECEIVCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SHORTER, ALABAMA, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE KNEW OF THE POWER LINES IN THE AREA BUT DID NO SEE THE HIGH TENSION LINES ABOVE THEN WHEN HE WAS SPRAYING THE FIELD. (.4) ON OCTOBER 2, 1998 ABOUT 0835 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 188B AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N4832R, COLLIDED WITH A HIGH TENSION LINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE GROUND WHILE SPRAYING A FIELD IN TELLASSE, ALABAMA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY MORRIS FLYING SERVICES, INC., UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 137, AND VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT.    THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SHORTER, ALABAMA, AT 0750. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO INTERVIEWED THE PILOT, THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHEAST FOR A SWATH SPRAY, WAITING TO FLY OVER POWER LINES THAT INTERSECTED A COTTON FIELD AT THE ARRIVAL END. THE PILOT THOUGHT THAT HE WAS CLEAR TO PUSH OVER INTO THE COTTON FIELD TO START HIS SPRAY RUN. HOWEVER, HE WAS NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR OF THE POWER LINES AND ON THE PUSH OVER BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE RIDGE WIRE THAT RUNS FROM ONE POLE TO ANOTHER GIVING THE POLES STABILITY. THE WIRE TANGLED BETWEEN THE PROPELLER BLADES AND AROUND THE PROPELLER SHAFT SLOWING THE ENGINE TO A STOP. WHILE TETHERED BY THE CABLE THE AIRCRAFT FELL APPROXIMATELY 250 TO 300 FEET, STRIKING A SLOPE AND TURNING ALMOST 180 DEGREES FROM THE DIRECTION OF IMPACT, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRPLANE.

## 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 ATL99LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA002), Oct 2, 1998: Cessna 188B (N4832R), Tellasse, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a utility line while conducting a swath run.

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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