- Date
- June 28, 2012, 06:45 local (11:45 UTC)
- Place
- Minden, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3299ZAyres S2R-G10
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Turbulence encounter
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120628013249A
- Case key
- 84121
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 wake turbulence from a previous pass.
Findings · 3
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 during the aerial application flight he made the first pass over a field where the wind was light and variable. He then turned around and flew a pass over a tree line and descended "maybe a little low," where he flew the airplane through the wake turbulence from his previous pass. According to the pilot, the turbulence disrupted the "round out" to the field and the airplane's wheels and left wing contacted the corn. The airplane turned sideways, slid backwards, and its empennage sustained substantial damage when it deformed. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during his aerial application flight he had made his first pass over a field where the wind was light and variable. He turned around and flew a pass over a tree line and descended "maybe a little low" where he flew the airplane through the wake turbulence from his previous pass. According to the pilot, the turbulence disrupted the "round out" to the field and the airplane's wheels and left wing contacted the corn. The airplane turned sideways, slid backwards, and it's empennage sustained substantial damage when it deformed. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3299Z
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-G10
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- G10-120
- Airframe hours
- 5,294
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Campbell Aerial Spraying Inc
- Registered owner
- Campbell Aerial Spraying Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 1, 2012
- Departed
- Minden, NE
- Destination
- Minden, NE
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 117 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- EAR
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.