# NTSB CEN13LA263: Air Tractor AT-602, N628JP, Udall, KS, May 5, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 5, 2013, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC) - Place: Udall, KS - Coordinates: 37.37907, -97.110755 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3791&lon=-97.1108&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-Wichita FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86823 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA263 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86823/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86823 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA263 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate flight planning, which resulted in a wire strike. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: flight planning/navigation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 179 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Air Tractor AT-602, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0390309), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of an aerial application flight reported that he arrived at the field and conducted three surveillance orbits to check for obstacles and wires. The pilot flew five spraying passes over the field, but on the sixth pass, the airplane’s propeller and landing gear struck a powerline. The airplane started vibrating severely, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a nearby field. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a large bush that turned the airplane sideways as it skidded to a stop, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The pole associated with the powerline that was struck was located in the tree line, and the pilot did not see the low hanging powerline that ran at an angle across the field. He did not have a map of the field, and he was not informed about the low hanging powerline. ## Factual narrative On May 5, 2013, at 1745 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-602, N628JP, hit a wire during an aerial application flight near Udall, Kansas, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing during a forced landing to a field. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Andy Deterding Ag Aviation under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an agricultural application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight departed from the Wellington Municipal Airport (EGT), Wellington, Kansas, at 1700. The pilot reported that he arrived at the field and conducted three surveillance orbits to check for obstacles and wires. He saw the powerlines that ran parallel to the roads located north and east of the field, but he did not see the low hanging powerline that ran at an angle across the field. The pilot flew five spraying passes over the field, but on the sixth pass, the airplane’s propeller and landing gear struck the powerline. The airplane started vibrating severely and the pilot executed a forced landing to a nearby field. During the landing roll, the left wing struck a large bush which turned the airplane sideways as it skidded to a stop, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. The pole associated with the powerline that was struck was located in the tree line. The pilot reported that he did not have a map of the field, and that he was not informed about the low hanging powerline. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N628JP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N628JP-2018-03-06), registration cancelled 2018-03-06, S/N 602-0564, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIR TRACTOR INC AT-602 - Registry model: [Air Tractor AT-602](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602) (registry code 0390309) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60ag) (registry code 52101, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 602-0564 - Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-60AG 1050 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Operator: Andy Deterding Ag Aviation - Registered owner: Mattern Rod - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Departed: EGT, Wellington, KS - Destination: Udall, KS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; flight engineer, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 18,000 total, 850 in this make and model, 17,800 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 64 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130505011459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130505011459A), May 5, 2013: Air Tractor Inc AT-602, Udall, KS, Substantial damage. The aircraft was beginning spray operations on a 10 acre wheat field when it struck two residential service electrical power lines. The aircraft sustained… ## Other investigations on N628JP (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CHI07CA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI07CA227), Jul 23, 2007: Air Tractor AT-602 (N628JP), Prophetstown, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to accurately monitor fuel consumption during flight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation/exhaustion. A contributing factor was the cornfield… ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86823. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 591 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392238&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statment in Email (item 2, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392240&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statment%20in%20Email-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: Damage to the left wing leading edge. (item 3, .PDF, 250 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392241&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Damage%20to%20the%20left%20wing%20leading%20edge.-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Damage to the left aileron and flap viewed from the rear. (item 4, .PDF, 273 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392242&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Damage%20to%20the%20left%20aileron%20and%20flap%20viewed%20from%20the%20rear.-Master.PDF - Photo 3: Damage to the left aileron and flap viewed from the front. (item 5, .PDF, 289 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392243&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%3A%20Damage%20to%20the%20left%20aileron%20and%20flap%20viewed%20from%20the%20front.-Master.PDF - Photo 4: View of the wire. (item 6, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394127&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%3A%20View%20of%20the%20wire.-Master.PDF - Photo 5: View of the wire (item 7, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40394128&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%3A%20View%20of%20the%20wire-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.