What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 14, 2002, at 1300 central daylight time an air tractor AT-301 agricultural airplane, N23736, was substantially damaged when it collided with a power line while maneuvering near Altus, Oklahoma. The airplane was registered to and operated by jackson county spraying service, inc., of Altus, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from the olustee municipal airport, Altus, Oklahoma. According to initial reports, the pilot was spraying malathion to a field and was attempting to fly beneath a power line when the vertical stabilizer contacted the power line. A section of the vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane, and subsequently, a forced landing was executed to a wheat field. (-23) Mr. Booker explained that he was attempting to fly under the power line closest to him, that cut across the field that he was spraying, and then after clearing it, he would then fly over the top of another powerline tha t was located at the end of the field. Mr. Booker's vertical stabilizer contacted the first power line, and sheared the vertical stabilizer off. Then he flew through the second power lines at the end of the field. This caused the airplane to be uncontrollable and resulted in the airplane striking the ground and coming to a rest upside down. Mr. Booker stated that the accident was a result of poor judgement and pilot fatigue.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2002, AT 1300 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME AN AIR TRACTOR AT-301 AGRICULTURAL AIRPLANE, N23736, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR ALTUS, OKLAHOMA. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY JACKSON COUNTY SPRAYING SERVICE, INC., OF ALTUS, OKLAHOMA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 137 AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE OLUSTEE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, ALTUS, OKLAHOMA. ACCORDING TO INITIAL REPORTS, THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING MALATHION TO A FIELD AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY BENEATH A POWER LINE WHEN THE VERTICAL STABILIZER CONTACTED THE POWER LINE. A SECTION OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, A FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED TO A WHEAT FIELD. (-23) MR. BOOKER EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO FLY UNDER THE POWER LINE CLOSEST TO HIM, THAT CUT ACROSS THE FIELD THAT HE WAS SPRAYING, AND THEN AFTER CLEARING IT, HE WOULD THEN FLY OVER THE TOP OF ANOTHER POWERLINE THA T WAS LOCATED AT THE END OF THE FIELD. MR. BOOKER'S VERTICAL STABILIZER CONTACTED THE FIRST POWER LINE, AND SHEARED THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OFF. THEN HE FLEW THROUGH THE SECOND POWER LINES AT THE END OF THE FIELD. THIS CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO BE UNCONTROLLABLE AND RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE STRIKING THE GROUND AND COMING TO A REST UPSIDE DOWN. MR. BOOKER STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS A RESULT OF POOR JUDGEMENT AND PILOT FATIGUE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.