- Date
- May 23, 2012, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Clear Lake, SD
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N30951Ayres S2R-R1340
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20120523009949A
- Case key
- 83738
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 perform a detailed observation of the power lines before beginning the aerial application work, which resulted in an inadvertent collision with the two lower wires.
Findings · 4
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 saw the power lines at the north end of the field as he started the aerial application work. However, he reported that he did not conduct a detailed observation of the lines. The power lines had two lower wires that he did not anticipate, and the arrangement of the lines was different from those he had seen in the area previously. As he approached the north end of the field, he was concentrating on a small group of trees when the airplane impacted the lines. He stated that the two lower wires caught him completely by surprise. The windshield separated as a result of the impact, and he had difficulty seeing because of debris and wind in his eyes. He subsequently elected to dump the application load and execute a precautionary/forced landing to an open field. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies related to the airplane prior to impacting the wires. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage during the landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he saw the power lines at the north end of the field as he started the aerial application work. However, he reported that he did not conduct a detailed observation of the lines. The power lines encountered during the accident flight had two lower wires that he did not anticipate. The arrangement of the power lines was different from those he had encountered in the area previously. As he approached the north end of the field, he was concentrating on a small group of trees when the airplane impacted the lines. He stated that the two lower wires caught him completely by surprise. The windshield separated as a result of the impact and he had difficulty seeing because of debris and wind in his eyes. He subsequently elected to dump the application load and execute a precautionary/forced landing to an open field. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies related to the airplane prior to impacting the wires. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and during the landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30951
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-R1340
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R1340-029
- Airframe hours
- 7,700
- Engine
- Garret TPE331-6-252M, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Scott Thompson Trustee
- Registered owner
- Scott Thompson Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 15, 2011
- Departed
- PVT · Estelline, SD
- Destination
- PVT · Estelline, SD
- Airport
- 5H3 · Clear Lake Muni
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
- 63
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 26, 2010
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 11,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 130 in the last 90 days · 130 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.50 inHg
- Observed at
- ATY, 23 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 493 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.