20031021029219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Hughes 369HS · Evansville, MN · October 21, 2003

Date: October 21, 2003 · 08:00 local
Place: Evansville, MN
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: KMRG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N49TJ
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04LA017
Reported as: Hughes 369HS
Reported engine: Allison 250C20
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,383 total1,230 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N49TJRegistered now · Hughes 369HSS/N 550747S · Built 1975 Airframe modelHughes 369HS Engine modelAllison 250-C20 seriesTurbo-prop

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) Aircraft was spraying lake to kill fish for Minnesota dnr. While looking at spray nozzle pilot heard pop, bang and aircraft crashed into lake. Pilot thinks he lost horizontal awareness while looking at spray nozzle and inadvertently struck the water. Aircraft sustained substantial damage and pilot received minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS SPRAYING LAKE TO KILL FISH FOR MINNESOTA DNR. WHILE LOOKING AT SPRAY NOZZLE PILOT HEARD POP, BANG AND AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO LAKE. PILOT THINKS HE LOST HORIZONTAL AWARENESS WHILE LOOKING AT SPRAY NOZZLE AND INADVERTENTLY STRUCK THE WATER. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND PILOT RECEIVED MINOR 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 CHI04LA017Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEvansville, MNThe pilot's misjudgment of clearance from the surface of the lake during the aerial application pass. The low altitude operation, glassy water, and his visual perception were contributing factors.Oct 21, 2003 · Substantial damage