20030814020789A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Airtrc AT-301 · Aplington, IA · August 14, 2003

Date: August 14, 2003 · 17:00 local
Place: Aplington, IA
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: PKJG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4339S
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI03LA261
Reported as: Airtrc AT301
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,500 total2,500 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N4339SRegistration cancelled Feb 21, 2004 · Air Tractor AT-301S/N 301-0019 · Built 1975 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-301 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

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 aircraft was spraying a field near Aplington, Iowa, at approximately 1700 local time on August 14, 2003. As the aircraft approached the field from the north, it struck the top of a power line pole taking approximately 1-2 feet from the top of the pole. The aircraft continued to the south for approximately one half mile before impacting the ground. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot sustained serious injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS SPRAYING A FIELD NEAR APLINGTON, IOWA, AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 LOCAL TIME ON AUGUST 14, 2003. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE FIELD FROM THE NORTH, IT STRUCK THE TOP OF A POWER LINE POLE TAKING APPROXIMATELY 1-2 FEET FROM THE TOP OF THE POLE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO THE SOUTH FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.

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 CHI03LA261Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAplington, IAThe pilot not maintaining proper altitude/clearance from the wire during the aerial application flight. The factor to the accident was the power line.Aug 14, 2003 · Substantial damage