# Incident 20170427013019I: Air Tractor Inc AT-402A, Nebraska City, NE, April 27, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 27, 2017, 18:00 local time
- Place: Nebraska City, NE
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.6757° N, 95.8617° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Nebraska City, NE, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6757&lon=-95.8617&mi=10
- Aircraft: N402GK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N402GK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Air Tractor AT-402A (registry code 0390206, https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-402a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52034, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-402A
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 528 total, 25 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170427013019I

## Narrative

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

-AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 ON 27 APRIL 2017 ^MR. KYLE GRESS^ CONTACTED A POWER LINE WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT AFTER CONDUCTING SPRAYING OPERATIONS.

-THE POWER LINE WAS CUT IN HALF AND CAUSED A POWER OUTAGE WITHIN AN AREA OF SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA.

-^MR. GRESS^ SUCCESSFULLY LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A STUBBLE CORNFIELD APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE NORTHWEST OF THE POWER LINE.

-ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS MISSING APPROXIMATELY SIX INCHES AND DISPLAYED VISUAL EVIDENCE OF A CABLE STRIKE.  THE CABLE STRUCK THE FORWARD WINDSCREEN AND CAUSED IT TO SHATTER.  THE CABLE THEN REMOVED APPROXIMATELY SIX INCHES OF THE UPPER VERTICAL STABILIZER AND 3/4 OF THE RUDDER.

-^MR. GRESS^ RECEIVED FACIAL AND OTHER LACERATIONS AS INDICTED ON THE OTOE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE REPORT.

-^MR. GRESS^ STATED "HE WAS WEARING A HELMET WITH A VISOR IN THE DOWN POSITION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT."

-ALTHOUGH SITTING UPRIGHT ON THE GEAR, THE AIRCRAFT NOSE APPEARED TO HAVE MOMENTARILY CONTACTED THE GROUND POST LANDING AS EVIDENCED BY MUD ON THE SPINNER AND PROPELLER BLADES.  NOTE: THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE ALSO BENT AT THE TIPS ALONG WITH A GROUND DEPRESSION INDICATION ABOUT TWO FEET IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

-THE CONTACTED POWER LINE WAS IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PART OF A MAIN SYSTEM OF LINES RUNNING APPROXIMATELY EAST AND WEST.  THE CONTACTED POWER LINE APPEARED TO BLEND IN VISUALLY WITH A TREE LINE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE TO THE NORTH OF THE INCIDENT SITE.

-APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS TO THE EAST OF THE CONTACTED LINE WAS ANOTHER SET OF MAIN SYSTEM LINES RUNNING APPROXIMATELY NORTH AND SOUTH.

-^MR. GRESS^ STATED "HE HAD BEEN APPLYING 2,4-D HERBICIDE AND APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 7 GALLONS REMAINED ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT."

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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