- Date
- August 8, 2007, 08:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Garden City, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4827JCessna A188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Lubbock, Texas
- FAA report
- 20070808015489A
- Case key
- 66426
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 with the ground equipment while maneuvering. A contributing factor was the power lines along the pilot's application path.
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
A single-engine agricultural airplane collided with a cotton trailer while performing an aerial application flight. The 1,296-hour commercial pilot was maneuvering the airplane to fly under power transmission lines when the airplane collided with a parked cotton trailer, lost directional control, and impacted the ground. The operator reported that the pilot was unable to recall the flight due to a concussion sustained during the accident. The operator further stated that a contributing factor was the fact that the pilot was used to flying a 680-horsepower turbine powered airplane and had recently been assigned a 300-horsepower airplane. An eyewitness reported observing the airplane performing the turn to reverse direction before losing sight of the aircraft prior to impact. Additionally, the eyewitness reported that the engine sounded "normal." There were no reported aircraft anomalies prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
A single-engine agricultural airplane collided with a cotton trailer while performing an aerial application flight. The 1,296-hour commercial pilot was maneuvering the airplane to fly under power transmission lines when the airplane collided with a parked cotton trailer, lost directional control, and impacted the ground. The operator reported that the pilot was unable to recall the flight due to a concussion sustained during the accident. The operator further stated that a contributing factor was the fact that the pilot was used to flying a 680-horsepower turbine powered airplane and had recently been assigned a 300-horsepower airplane. An eyewitness reported observing the airplane performing the turn to reverse direction before losing sight of the aircraft prior to impact. Additionally, the eyewitness reported that the engine sounded "normal." There were no reported aircraft anomalies prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4827J
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18803770T
- Airframe hours
- 3,550
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Bert L Bruton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2007 · 300 hours before
- Departed
- Garden City, TX
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
- 19
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,296 total · 785 in this make and model · 1,210 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- MAF, 37 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.