# Accident 19990811011759A: Ayres S2R, Garden City, KS, August 11, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 11, 1999, 09:50 local time - Place: Garden City, KS - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137) - Operator: TGDG - Location: 37.9696° N, 100.8600° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9696&lon=-100.8600&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4923X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4923X-2004-08-25) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Rockwell International S-2R (registry code 7630202, https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-s-2r) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series (registry code 52016, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AYRES S2R - Reported engine: PWA R1340AN1 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,621 total, 1,032 in this make and model, 236 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI99LA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA287) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990811011759A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES DURING AERIAL APPLICATION AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.19) ON AUGUST 11, 1999, AT 0950 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROCKWELL S-2R THRUSH, N4923X, PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A POWER LINE DURING A PULL-UP MANEUVER AT THE END OF A SPRAYING SWATH RUN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED GARDEN CITY, KANSAS, EXACT TIME UNKNOWN. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD DELAYED HIS PULL UP AT THE END OF THE SWATH RUN BECAUSE HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRES NEAR THE FIELD'S BORDER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE WIRES WERE SUSPENDED BETWEEN TWO POLES THAT WERE ABOUT 1/4-MILE APART. HE SAID THE WIRES WERE HARD TO SEE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO GAUGE THE TIME TO START THE PULL UP MANEUVER PROPERLY. THE PILOT SAID THE SKY WAS CLEAR AND BRIGHT. (.4)THE AERIAL APPLICATION AIRPLANE HAD COMPLETED ITS SWATH RUN. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK POWER LINES LOCATED AT THE EDGE OF THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED DURING A PULL-UP MANEUVER. THE PILOT SAID, '...I MISJUDGED MY INITIAL POINT OF PULL UP AND CONTACTED THE TOP WIRE BETWEEN TWO POLES WITH THE [AIRPLANES] RIGHT [MAIN] LANDING GEAR.' THE PILOT SAID THE WIRES WERE HARD TO SEE. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE WIRES WERE SUSPENDED BETWEEN 2 POLES ABOUT 1/4 MILE APART. (-23)ON AUGUST 11, 1999 AT APPROXIMATELY 0945 AND APPROXIAMTELY 10 MILES SOUTH OF GARDEN CITY, KS AN AGRICULTURAL SPRAY PLANE OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STRUCK THE TOP LINE (STATIC LINE) OF A 4 WIRE GROUP OF POWER LINES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON HIS THIRD PASS OVER THE CORN FIELD ON AN APPROXIMATELY 0270 DEGREE HEADING WHEN HE STRUCK THE WIRE. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT SEE THE WIRE TILL IT WAS TO LATE AND THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT THE TOP STATIC LINE BETWEEN TWO POWER LINE POLES. THE PILOT STATED HE FELT A PULL ON THE AIRCRAFT AS HE CAUGHT THE WIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANIALLY DAMAGED BUT THE PILO WAS ABLE TO BREAK FREE FROM THE S TATIC LINE. THE PILOT MANAGED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT AT A LANDING STRIP THAT WAS IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINTIY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT OR INJURY. ## 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 CHI99LA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI99LA287), Aug 11, 1999: Rockwell S-2R (N4923X), Garden City, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudging his pull-up maneuver resulting in contact with the wire. A contributing factor was the wire. ## Other reports on N4923X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20030802016099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030802016099A), Aug 2, 2003: Ayres S2R (N4923X), Mitchell, SD, Destroyed. (-23) On August 2, 2003, N4923K, a rockwell S-2R, struck a powerline at mile marker 334 near Mitchell SD, during an aerial application. The aircraft was… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.