- Date
- August 10, 2009, 13:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- DeWitt, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5018SAir Tractor AT-301
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090810020199A
- Case key
- 74492
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
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the tree during the aerial application maneuver.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he made his first aerial application run without any problems. He said that during his second run he lost lift during a turn. He went to full power and tried to clear some trees. The left wing caught the top of a tree and the airplane sustained substantial damage on subsequent impact with terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he made his first aerial application run without any problems. He said that during his second run he lost lift during a turn. He went to full power and tried to clear some trees. The left wing caught the top of a tree and the airplane sustained substantial damage on subsequent impact with terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5018S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0107
- Airframe hours
- 7,445
- Engine
- P&W R1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Mikes Air Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Mikes Air Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 2009
- Departed
- PVT · Cisco, IL
- Destination
- PVT · Cisco, IL
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 5, 2008
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 7,035 total · 249 in this make and model · 6,900 as pilot in command · 94 in the last 90 days · 86 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- BMI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 584 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.