- Date
- April 17, 2011, 06:50 local (11:50 UTC)
- Place
- Horseshoe Lake, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N42015Air Tractor AT-802A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminisration
- FAA report
- 20110417005649A
- Case key
- 78899
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 tower due to his inadequate visual lookout.
Findings · 1
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
While spraying a field, the pilot reversed direction for another pass. During the pass, the pilot misjudged his altitude and impacted a tower with the airplane's propeller and inboard section of the right wing. During the impact sequence the airplane's right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator separated. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot performed a forced landing to a cornfield. The airplane came to rest in an upright position in an irrigation canal. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
While spraying a field, the agricultural pilot reversed course for another pass. During the pass, the pilot misjudged his altitude and impacted a tower with the airplane's propeller and inboard section of the right wing. As the tower fell, it separated the airplane's right horizontal stabilizer and right elevator. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot performed a forced landing to a cornfield. The airplane came to rest in an upright position in an irrigation canal. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42015
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-802A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0304
- Airframe hours
- 1,492
- Engine
- P&W Canada PT6A-65AG, 1,300 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Frost Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Aerial Crop Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2011
- Departed
- Horseshoe Lake, AR
- Destination
- Horseshoe Lake, AR
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
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2010
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 8,930 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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.