20170702010799A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-502B · Edna, TX · July 2, 2017

Date: July 2, 2017 · 10:30 local
Place: Edna, TX
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: 9CRG
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6135P
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA17CA385
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-502B
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,500 total2,000 in this make and model250 in the last 90 days

N6135PRegistration cancelled May 6, 2020 · Air Tractor AT-502BS/N 502B-0286 · Built 1995 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-502B Engine modelPratt & Whitney PT6A 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.

Pilot was spraying a field and setting up for his next run while looking for a young boy who was outside on a previous trip. Pilot wanted to make sure and not spray close to the house if the boy was outside. Pilot lost situational awareness and sight of an antenna that he knew was there. On his descent the aircraft struck the antenna with the propeller, wing and landing gear. This happened at approximately 30 feet AGL. Pilot felt strong vibrations from the engine and immediately decided to make a forced landing straight ahead in a corn field. No injuries.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS SPRAYING A FIELD AND SETTING UP FOR HIS NEXT RUN WHILE LOOKING FOR A YOUNG BOY WHO WAS OUTSIDE ON A PREVIOUS TRIP. PILOT WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND NOT SPRAY CLOSE TO THE HOUSE IF THE BOY WAS OUTSIDE. PILOT LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND SIGHT OF AN ANTENNA THAT HE KNEW WAS THERE. ON HIS DESCENT THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE ANTENNA WITH THE PROPELLER, WING AND LANDING GEAR. THIS HAPPENED AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET AGL. PILOT FELT STRONG VIBRATIONS FROM THE ENGINE AND IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A CORN FIELD. NO 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 GAA17CA385Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportEdna, TXThe pilot’s failure to see and avoid a tower during an agricultural application flight.Jul 2, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6135P · 1

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

Accident 20181012019789AManeuver · Placedo, TXDuring aerial application of herbicide pilot struck a radio tower, impalling the top 15 foot section into the aircraft with subsequent fire and uncontrolled crashOct 12, 2018 · Destroyed · 1 fatal