- Date
- October 17, 2012, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Portales, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N598LAAir Tractor AT-502B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- LBB FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121017023699A
- Case key
- 85390
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 an aerial application flight.
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
The private pilot was maneuvering the airplane above a crop field during an aerial application flight. Upon entering the field from the south, the pilot misjudged the airplane’s distance from power lines and struck a power line. He subsequently lost control of the airplane, which impacted terrain and came to rest inverted, sustaining substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane or engine.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot was maneuvering the airplane above a crop field during an aerial application flight. Upon entering the field, the pilot misjudged the distance and struck a power line. He subsequently lost control of the airplane, impacted terrain, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N598LA
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-502B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-2598
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney PT6, 1,100 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- King Ag Leasing Inc
- Registered owner
- King Ag Leasing Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Unknown
- Departed
- Portales, NM
- Destination
- Portales, NM
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
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 11, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 30,500 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 30,500 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KCVS, 12 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 26, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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 N598LA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.