20210804014189A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Air Tractor AT-502 · Wooster, OH · August 4, 2021

Date: August 4, 2021 · 08:00 local
Place: Wooster, OH
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
Operator: PVGG
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1519U
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN21LA354
Reported as: Air Tractor AT-502
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,037 total310 in this make and model306 in the last 90 days

N1519URegistration cancelled Dec 26, 2023 · Air Tractor AT-502S/N 502-0154 · Built 1991 Airframe modelAir Tractor AT-502 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60ATurbo-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.

Pilot was spraying field and maneuvering above roadway powerlines and below the high-tension powerlines. During a manuever below high tension powerlines, pilot reported hearing a loud pop, aircraft pitched nose-up and started to fishtail and loss of rudder control. Pilot pitched aircraft nosedown to gain control. Pilot maneuvered towards open area and struck roadway powerlines and a large hickory tree finally resting against other trees in a noseup position.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS SPRAYING FIELD AND MANEUVERING ABOVE ROADWAY POWERLINES AND BELOW THE HIGH-TENSION POWERLINES. DURING A MANUEVER BELOW HIGH TENSION POWERLINES, PILOT REPORTED HEARING A LOUD POP, AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE-UP AND STARTED TO FISHTAIL AND LOSS OF RUDDER CONTROL. PILOT PITCHED AIRCRAFT NOSEDOWN TO GAIN CONTROL. PILOT MANEUVERED TOWARDS OPEN AREA AND STRUCK ROADWAY POWERLINES AND A LARGE HICKORY TREE FINALLY RESTING AGAINST OTHER TREES IN A NOSEUP POSITION.

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 CEN21LA354Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportWooster, OHThe pilot inadvertently collided with powerline wires during an agricultural spraying flight, resulting in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent impact with the ground.Aug 4, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1519U · 2

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

Incident 20130825016059IManeuver · Evansville, MNPilot stated that he was accomplishing aerial application of a field from west to east along the south edge of a field. He stated he was concentrating on the wires at the south edge of the field, since he was close to them. As he was finishing his first pass…Aug 25, 2013 · Minor damage Accident 20080427832069ANormal Cruise · Dayton, WA(-23) On 4-27-2008 at approximately 0830 local time the pilot [privacy data omitted] was acting as pilot in command of N1519U, an air tractor AT-502 operated by beck's spray service. The pilot [privacy data omitted] departed the airport (a private field, west…Apr 27, 2008 · Substantial damage