20040918022049A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Ayres S2R · Firebaugh, CA · September 18, 2004

Date: September 18, 2004 · 10:06 local
Place: Firebaugh, CA
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: VT6G
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8822Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX04CA323
Reported as: Ayres S2R
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A34AG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,000 total12,500 in this make and model300 in the last 90 days

N8822QRegistration cancelled Aug 29, 2007 · Aero Commander S2RS/N 1522R · Built 1970 Airframe modelAero Commander S2R 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) Pilot was spraying a field at night, flying under high tension powerlines suspended by towers, that converged into his flight path. Thinking he was at the end of the field, the pilot pulled up, into one of the suspended powerlines. The powerline was severed after which the pilot began a right turn during which the engine began to lose power. The pilot was able to complete the turn before a power off, wings level, forced landing into an orchard.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS SPRAYING A FIELD AT NIGHT, FLYING UNDER HIGH TENSION POWERLINES SUSPENDED BY TOWERS, THAT CONVERGED INTO HIS FLIGHT PATH. THINKING HE WAS AT THE END OF THE FIELD, THE PILOT PULLED UP, INTO ONE OF THE SUSPENDED POWERLINES. THE POWERLINE WAS SEVERED AFTER WHICH THE PILOT BEGAN A RIGHT TURN DURING WHICH THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN BEFORE A POWER OFF, WINGS LEVEL, FORCED LANDING INTO AN ORCHARD.

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 LAX04CA323Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportFirebaugh, CAthe failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from high tension wires in dark night conditions. The reason for the loss of engine power after the wire collision was not determined.Sep 18, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N8822Q · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20020805017049ALosbanos, CA(-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…Aug 5, 2002 · No damage Accident 19830317008379ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Dos Palos, CAVeered off the landing strip into mud and nosed over. Was landing with a quartering tail wind.Mar 17, 1983 · Substantial damage