What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Incident investigation narrative
On June 22, 2023, at approximately 07:46 LCL, an Air tractor (agricultural application) aircraft was applying pesticide to two fields approximately 15 n.m. northwest of Willcox, AZ, in the sulphur springs valley (32°29'19"n; 109°58'5"w). The aircraft was operating out of a private dirt strip nearby and under a part 137 operating certificate.
The PIC had completed 4 to 5 swath runs, north to south. On the next one, the aircraft hit a power line damaging the aircraft propeller and windshield. The PIC checked for aircraft controllability immediately, which felt normal, and returned to the nearby dirt strip for an uneventful landing. The NTSB was contacted. The FAA received a “late report” the day after the event.
The chief supervisor and PIC were interviewed by FAA personnel (the PIC had briefed the chief supervisor). It was stated that the fields had electrical power lines on each side (not running the completely length of the fields) and one in the middle which ran the entire length of the field. The PIC stated that he had performed his usual overhead reconnaissance flight to identify any obstacles. He had seen all the power lines mentioned.
On that particular swath run, the PIC stated that he became “confused” due to one electrical pole being spread apart differently than the others. He momentarily lost situational awareness with the distance from the wire and by the time he saw it, it was too late. He attempted to fly underneath the wire (the power line that was between each field) but the propeller struck it.
The PIC stated he heard a “big sound” (most likely the wire smacking the windshield). He then checked aircraft controllability then returned to the dirt strip. He then advised his chief supervisor. The chief supervisor said the aircraft was visually inspected and no other damage was found.
To note, this part 137 operator is managed by the baton rouge FSDO. This inspector has advised the certificate management team of this event.
As the FAA filed it
INCIDENT INVESTIGATION NARRATIVE
ON JUNE 22, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 07:46 LCL, AN AIR TRACTOR (AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION) AIRCRAFT WAS APPLYING PESTICIDE TO TWO FIELDS APPROXIMATELY 15 N.M. NORTHWEST OF WILLCOX, AZ, IN THE SULPHUR SPRINGS VALLEY (32°29'19"N; 109°58'5"W). THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING OUT OF A PRIVATE DIRT STRIP NEARBY AND UNDER A PART 137 OPERATING CERTIFICATE.
THE PIC HAD COMPLETED 4 TO 5 SWATH RUNS, NORTH TO SOUTH. ON THE NEXT ONE, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A POWER LINE DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER AND WINDSHIELD. THE PIC CHECKED FOR AIRCRAFT CONTROLLABILITY IMMEDIATELY, WHICH FELT NORMAL, AND RETURNED TO THE NEARBY DIRT STRIP FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING. THE NTSB WAS CONTACTED. THE FAA RECEIVED A “LATE REPORT” THE DAY AFTER THE EVENT.
THE CHIEF SUPERVISOR AND PIC WERE INTERVIEWED BY FAA PERSONNEL (THE PIC HAD BRIEFED THE CHIEF SUPERVISOR). IT WAS STATED THAT THE FIELDS HAD ELECTRICAL POWER LINES ON EACH SIDE (NOT RUNNING THE COMPLETELY LENGTH OF THE FIELDS) AND ONE IN THE MIDDLE WHICH RAN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE FIELD. THE PIC STATED THAT HE HAD PERFORMED HIS USUAL OVERHEAD RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT TO IDENTIFY ANY OBSTACLES. HE HAD SEEN ALL THE POWER LINES MENTIONED.
ON THAT PARTICULAR SWATH RUN, THE PIC STATED THAT HE BECAME “CONFUSED” DUE TO ONE ELECTRICAL POLE BEING SPREAD APART DIFFERENTLY THAN THE OTHERS. HE MOMENTARILY LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WITH THE DISTANCE FROM THE WIRE AND BY THE TIME HE SAW IT, IT WAS TOO LATE. HE ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDERNEATH THE WIRE (THE POWER LINE THAT WAS BETWEEN EACH FIELD) BUT THE PROPELLER STRUCK IT.
THE PIC STATED HE HEARD A “BIG SOUND” (MOST LIKELY THE WIRE SMACKING THE WINDSHIELD). HE THEN CHECKED AIRCRAFT CONTROLLABILITY THEN RETURNED TO THE DIRT STRIP. HE THEN ADVISED HIS CHIEF SUPERVISOR. THE CHIEF SUPERVISOR SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS VISUALLY INSPECTED AND NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS FOUND.
TO NOTE, THIS PART 137 OPERATOR IS MANAGED BY THE BATON ROUGE FSDO. THIS INSPECTOR HAS ADVISED THE CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF THIS EVENT.
Other reports on N502XP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.