# Accident 20160514005609A: Air Tractor Inc AT-502, West, TX, May 14, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 14, 2016, 13:45 local time
- Place: West, TX
- Airport: Hillsboro
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: G9KG
- Location: 31.8408° N, 97.0742° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8408&lon=-97.0742&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1546Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1546Z-2018-09-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-502 (registry code 0390303, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-502) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-502
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 17,640 total, 248 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA181) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160514005609A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO HILLSBORO TO END THE WORK DAY.  AIRCRAFT WAS TWO MILES FROM APPLICATION FIELD EN ROUTE BACK TO BASE WHEN RIGHT WING CONTACTED TWO CELL PHONE TOWER GUY WIRES.  THE TOP WIRE IMPACTED 6 FEET INBOARD DAMAGING THE WING AND WAS SEVERED.  THE SECOND FROM TOP WIRE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND CUT OFF 4 FEET OF THE RIGHT WING INCLUDING 1 FOOT OF THE AILERON.  AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND 600 FEET FROM THE TOWER AND IGNITED BURNING THE AIRCRAFT AND ADJACENT FIELD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN16LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA181), May 14, 2016: Air Tractor AT 502 (N1546Z), West, TX, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to see and avoid cellular tower guy wires. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate at low altitude.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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