- Date
- July 28, 1997, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Halstead, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4864QCessna 188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 7, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970728019899A
- Case key
- 10644
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 failed to maintain adequate clearance from the transmission wires. Factors included the malfunctioning of the wire cutter and pilot fatigue.
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
The pilot reported that he was making a fourth pass on a field during aerial application when he 'failed to initiate a pull-up in time to clear the powerline.' The right main landing gear struck a wire. The wire cutter located on the right landing gear did not sever the wire. The wire broke in two from the force of the impact with the airplane. The wire on the right side of the airplane broke about 30 feet from the airplane. The wire went underneath the empenage and wrapped itself around the left elevator. The left elevator and horizontal stabilizer were being cut in two until the wire on the left side of the aircraft broke. A 75 foot section of wire trailed the airplane as the pilot continued flying. By applying about 40 pounds of forward stick pressure and not dumping the chemical load, he was able to land at Newton, Kansas. The pilot reported that he was fatigued as a result of working approximately 18 hour days the week prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On July 28, 1997, at 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 188B, N4864Q, operated by Blue Sky Airspray, sustained substantial damage while spraying a field when it hit a powerline. The airline transport pilot was able to maintain control of the aircraft and returned to Newton, Kansas, where he landed the airplane. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial sprayer had departed Newton, Kansas, on a local aerial application flight. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he was making a fourth pass on a field during aerial application and "failed to initiate a pull-up in time to clear the powerline." The right main landing gear struck a wire. The pilot reported that the wire cutter located on the right landing gear did not sever the wire. As the airplane continued forward, the wire broke in two from the force of the impact with the airplane. The wire on the right side of the airplane broke about 30 feet from the airplane. The wire went underneath the empenage and wrapped itself around the left elevator. The left elevator and horizontal stabilizer were being cut in two until the wire on the left side of the aircraft broke. A 75 foot section of wire trailed the airplane as the pilot continued flying. By applying about 40 pounds of forward stick pressure and not dumping the chemical load, he was able to land at Newton, Kansas.
The pilot reported that he was fatigued as a result of working approximately 18 hour days the week prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4864Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802600T
- Airframe hours
- 5,641
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Blue Sky Airspray
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 1997 · 160 hours before
- Departed
- TNU · Newton, KS
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 450 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
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 N4864Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.