- Date
- August 19, 2014, 17:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Kerkhoven, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9646ARockwell International S 2R
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140819013579A
- Case key
- 89920
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 failure to see and avoid the guide wire during the aerial application flight.
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 stated he flew over the field to identify obstructions prior to beginning the spray passes. He noted a hog farm and powerline wires on the southwest side of the field so he decided to spray the field in a north/south pattern. The pilot began spraying on the east side of the field, and during the second pass, the airplane contacted a guide wire that extended from the row of powerlines, which paralleled his flight path. The pilot stated he did not see the guide wire while looking for obstructions. Upon hitting the wire, the engine lost power and the propeller appeared to feather. The pilot tried to gain altitude and was able to dump the remaining chemical load prior to the airplane impacting a corn field about ¾ of a mile from where it contacted the wire. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported there was no mechanical failure/malfunction of the airplane prior to contacting the wire.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated he flew over the field to identify obstructions prior to beginning the spray passes. He noted a hog farm and powerline wires on the southwest side of the field so he decided to spray the field in a north/south pattern. The pilot began spraying on the east side of the field, and during the second pass, the airplane contacted a guide wire that extended from the row of powerlines, which paralleled his flight path. The pilot stated he did not see the guide wire while looking for obstructions. Upon hitting the wire, the engine lost power and the propeller appeared to feather. The pilot tried to gain altitude and was able to dump the remaining chemical load prior to the airplane impacting a corn field about ¾ of a mile from where it contacted the wire. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported there was no mechanical failure/malfunction of the airplane prior to contacting the wire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9646A
- Reported as
- Rockwell International S 2R (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1824R
- Airframe hours
- 2,987
- Engine
- Allied Signal TPE331, 715 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Benson Air Ag Inc
- Registered owner
- Benson Air Ag Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2014
- Departed
- BBB · Benson, MN
- Destination
- BBB · Benson, MN
- 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 14,350 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- BDH, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 405 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.