20000914014469A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-502 · Farwell, TX · September 14, 2000

Date: September 14, 2000 · 18:10 local
Place: Farwell, TX
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: LKRG
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N1508V
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW00LA259
Reported as: Airtrc AT502

N1508VRegistration cancelled Feb 27, 2001 · Air Tractor AT-502S/N 502-0144 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-502

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.

(-23) The a/c was conducting aerial application operations in the area northwest of lariat, Texas. Eyewitnesses state the a/c was spraying the cotton field just northwest of the alfalfa field in which the a/c came to rest. The witness stated the a/c struck the upper guy wire of a 350 ft. tall communication antenna tower. The a/c then struck the ground at an angle of approx. 90 degrees. The a/c burst into flames and the forward section of the a/c (forward of the cockpit) was destroyed by the fire. The pilot survived the accident but passed away several hours later. Cause of death was massive injuries sustained during the a/c accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE A/C WAS CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION OPERATIONS IN THE AREA NORTHWEST OF LARIAT, TEXAS. EYEWITNESSES STATE THE A/C WAS SPRAYING THE COTTON FIELD JUST NORTHWEST OF THE ALFALFA FIELD IN WHICH THE A/C CAME TO REST. THE WITNESS STATED THE A/C STRUCK THE UPPER GUY WIRE OF A 350 FT. TALL COMMUNICATION ANTENNA TOWER. THE A/C THEN STRUCK THE GROUND AT AN ANGLE OF APPROX. 90 DEGREES. THE A/C BURST INTO FLAMES AND THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE A/C (FORWARD OF THE COCKPIT) WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE PILOT SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT BUT PASSED AWAY SEVERAL HOURS LATER. CAUSE OF DEATH WAS MASSIVE INJURIES SUSTAINED DURING THE A/C ACCIDENT.

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 FTW00LA259Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportLariat, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the antenna guy wire. A factor was the pilot's physical impairment from his use of diphenhydramine.Sep 14, 2000 · Substantial damage