- Date
- May 19, 1990, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Capon Bridge, WV
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1FNDouglas DC-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900519016579A
- Case key
- 11546
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inadequate visual lookout by the pilots of the DC-3, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid the powerlines. Factors related to the accident were: the obstruction (transmission wires), and the lack of visual cues for the pilots.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While spraying gypsy mothes with dimilin over wooded/hilly terrain, the DC-3 collided with power lines in a valley area. Witnesses in an nearby observation aircraft reported the DC-3 entered a gradual climb, which continued until the DC-3 was in a steep nose high attitude. The pilot of the observation aircraft tried to communicate with the DC-3 pilots, but could not make radio contact. The observation pilot reported the DC-3 entered a stall/spin at about 1200 ft AGL, then crashed. An investigation revealed no evidence of a preimpact failure. The DC-3 was not equipped with a wire cutter kit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1FN
- Reported as
- Douglas DC-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11685
- Airframe hours
- 34,906
- Engine
- Wright R-1820, 1,200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- K & K Aircraft, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- AAIP · April 25, 1990 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- MRB · Martinsburg, WV
- Destination
- W16 · Winchester, VA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 22,000 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 21,000 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRB, 30 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.