- Date
- June 10, 2010, 17:25 local (22:25 UTC)
- Place
- Alcolu, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5085QAir Tractor AT-402B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100610035199A
- Case key
- 76302
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 a tree. Contributing to the accident was the sunglare.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, he was conducting an aerial application flight over a field. His vision was obstructed by glare from the sun, and he did not see a dead tree in front of the airplane until “it was too late.” The airplane impacted the tree and descended into the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. He further reported about 14,000 hours of total flight experience, which included 4,700 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was conducting an aerial application flight over a field. His vision was obstructed by glare from the sun, and he did not see a dead tree in front of the airplane until “it was too late.” The airplane impacted the tree and descended into the field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. He further reported about 14,000 hours of total flight experience, which included 4,700 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5085Q
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-402B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402B-1047
- Airframe hours
- 3,781
- Engine
- P&W PT6A SERIES, 500 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Williamsburg Air Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Williamsburg Air Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- None · Coker Field, SC
- Destination
- NONE · Coker Field, SC
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 13,995 total · 4,700 in this make and model · 13,500 as pilot in command · 175 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KCKI, 19 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 751 KB 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.