- Date
- May 1, 2024, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- England, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8515GAir Tractor AT-802A
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240501006269A
- Case key
- 194206
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 tower guy wires while maneuvering during a low-level 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 reported that, while performing aerial application work at a low altitude, he became distracted by looking at a map and not focused on a nearby tower with guy wires. When the pilot looked up, he realized he did not veer far and high enough away from the tower guy wires. The airplane struck the guy wires and impacted the terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the accident might have been prevented if he had completed a better pre-application briefing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8515G
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-802A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0180
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 6,185.7
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67AG, 1,450 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 14, 2024
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 3, 2024
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 11,412 total · 258 in this make and model · 11,112 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KLIT, 19 nm away
- METAR
- KLIT 011253Z 00000KT 10SM BKN250 21/18 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP158 T02110178
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.8 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.