- Date
- August 2, 2012, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Alexander, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6802LPiper PA-25-260
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120802015739A
- Case key
- 84550
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 inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain altitude during aerial application, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
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
The pilot reported that while spraying a cornfield, he saw two wires that he did not know were there. When the pilot saw the wires, the airplane was too close to the wires to climb over them. He then flew under the wires; however, the airplane impacted rolling terrain below the wires, bounced into the air, stalled, and came to rest in trees adjacent to the field. Examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to both wing spars. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while spraying a cornfield, he saw two wires that he did not know were there. When the pilot saw the wires, they were too close for the airplane to climb over them. He then flew under the wires; however, the airplane impacted rolling terrain below the wires, bounced into the air, stalled, and came to rest in trees adjacent to the field. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to both wing spars. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6802L
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-7405659
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Louis C Christie
- Registered owner
- Louis C Christie
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2012 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- GVQ · Batavia, NY
- Destination
- GVQ · Batavia, NY
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 22, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 450 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- ROC, 25 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 19, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.