# Incident 20020411017909I: Wsk PZLM18B, Hazleton, PA, April 11, 2002

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2002, 11:45 local time
- Place: Hazleton, PA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: FDDG
- Location: 40.9505° N, 75.9725° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Hazleton, PA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.9505&lon=-75.9725&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9152X, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9152X) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: WSK PZL Mielec PZL M18B (registry code 9810127, https://openairdocs.org/model/wsk-pzl-mielec-pzl-m18b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Honeywell TPE331-11U (registry code 33996, https://openairdocs.org/engine/honeywell-tpe331-11u) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WSK PZLM18B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 13,500 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020411017909I

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT APPROACHED RIDGE LINE TO MAKE A WATER DROP. HE PROCEEDED DOWN THE RIDGE WHEN THE WIND SHIFTED AND A CLOUD OF SMOKE BILLOWED UP AND OBSCURED HIS VIEW. ON HIS DROP HE HIT A LARGE BRANCH OBSCURED IN SMOKE. HE PROCEEDED DOWN THE RIDGE LINE AND STARTED A CLIMB OUT. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT WITHOUT INCIDENT. AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO RIGHT WING, LEADING EDGE, FLAP AND ELEVATOR.

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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