- Date
- August 15, 2012, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Kaplan, LA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N36289Schweizer, N36289 G-164B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 26, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20120815019999A
- Case key
- 84686
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 power lines during the aerial application flight.
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 was conducting an aerial application flight at the time of the accident. During the spray application, the airplane struck a power line. The airplane nosed over and impacted the ground. A postaccident examination of the wreckage found no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the operator's accident report, the pilot was conducting an aerial application flight on a field about 3-1/2 miles from the airstrip. He had previously dispersed 4 loads of fertilizer on the field. During the application of the fifth load, the airplane struck an 80 to 90 foot-tall power line. The airplane nosed over and impacted the ground. The pilot was seriously injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. Photographs taken at the accident site revealed no markers on the power line. An FAA inspector found no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal aircraft operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36289
- Reported as
- Schweizer, N36289 G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 746B
- Airframe hours
- 11,171
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-28, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Vincent Flying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Vincent Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 23, 2012
- Departed
- NONE · Kaplan, LA
- Destination
- NONE · Kaplan, LA
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
- 45
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2011
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total · 7,000 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 88 °F
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 12, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.9 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.
Other investigations on N36289 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.