- Date
- June 9, 2007, 10:05 local (15:05 UTC)
- Place
- Okarche, OK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N48613Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- FAA report
- 20070609010799A
- Case key
- 65943
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 an unmarked light fixture.
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 agricultural biplane collided with an unmarked pole while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. The 9,500-hour commercial pilot reported that he had been contracted to spray an empty cattle feedlot that had not been used for some time to eradicate weeds. During the last application pass, while attempting to clean-up a stockpile of dirt, the pilot failed to see a wooden pole with a light fixture located about 50 to 100 feet beyond the dirt stockpile. The underside of the right lower wing made contact with the light fixture on a pole. The pilot added that the fuel system was not compromised and he was able to fly the agricultural airplane to his home-base airport located approximately 8 miles west of the accident site. The operator confirmed that the pole was masked by the lack of visual contrast. Examination of the right lower wing revealed structural damage to the front wing spar.
Factual narrative
The agricultural biplane collided with an unmarked pole while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. The 9,500-hour commercial pilot reported that he had been contracted to spray an empty cattle feedlot that had not been used for some time to eradicate weeds. During the last application pass, while attempting to clean-up a stockpile of dirt, the pilot failed to see a wooden pole with a light fixture located about 50 to 100 feet beyond the dirt stockpile. The underside of the right lower wing made contact with the light fixture on a pole. The pilot added that the fuel system was not compromised and he was able to fly the agricultural airplane to his home-base airport located approximately 8 miles west of the accident site. The operator confirmed that the pole was masked by the lack of visual contrast. Examination of the right lower wing revealed structural damage to the front wing spar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48613
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1682
- Airframe hours
- 5,182.4
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R985A, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Kelly P. Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2007 · 90 hours before
- Departed
- Okarche, OK
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2006
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 9,500 total · 4,800 in this make and model · 9,250 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.