20020805017049A

(-23) On 08-05-02 at approximately 0615 hours PDT, Mr. Handy, a commercial pilot working for vance theil, inc., was engaged in agricultural aerial application work at near the intersection of California highways 5 (I-5) and 165 (nine miles southeast on a heading of 155 degrees from the los banos, CA, airport). Following the first pass of his second load on a field east of and adjacent to I-5, he began a right turn to the west toward the hills back to the field. He experienced what he believed to be wind shear and the aircraft began to stall. Mr. Handy began a slow jettisoning of his chemical load in an attempt to regain control of the aircraft. The aircraft rolled to the left and the left wing struck the side of a hill. The aircraft cart wheeled (left wing to nose to right wing and fuselage bouncing onto its wheels), the propeller and hub were separated from the engine, the tail wheel separated from the fuselage and the aircraft slid some fifty feet backward down the hill, coming to rest right side up, facing south. Mr. Handy was not injured. (.19) on August 5, 2002, at 0620 pacific daylight time, an aero commander s 2R-T34, collided with terrain while reversing course during an aerial application flight near los banos, California. The airplane was operated by vance theil, inc., under the provisions of 14 CFR part 137 of the federal aviation regulations, and sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local area aerial application flight that originated from a nearby private farm airstrip at 0610. In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was making passes over a field from north to south. Rising terrain that continues into hills borders one side of the field. He had completed one pass and was in a left course reversal turn when he encountered some turbulence. He said the airplane seemed to come to a stop, then began mushing toward the ground. He added power and attempted to recover but the left wing tip touched the hillside and then the airplane collided with the ground. The pilot reported that he there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the mishap.