- Date
- August 1, 1989, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Plainfield, WI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5044SAir Tractor AT-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890801026129A
- Case key
- 14212
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
Failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain control of the aircraft while conducting aerial application maneuvers in close proximity to the terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During an aerial application maneuver, the aircraft departed controlled flight and impacted the terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot sustained fatal injuries. Subsequent investigation found nothing of a mechanical nature in the wreckage that would have contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5044S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0108
- Airframe hours
- 5,389
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Reabe Spraying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Reabe, Roy W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 21, 1988 · 192 hours before
- Departed
- PVT · Plainfield, WI
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,200 total · 6,900 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OSH, 40 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.