# NTSB ERA20LA306: Thrush S2R-H80, N30529, Hawkinsville, GA, September 3, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 3, 2020, 08:46 local (12:46 UTC) - Place: Hawkinsville, GA · Cotton Field - Coordinates: 32.195278, -83.47583 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1953&lon=-83.4758&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA / FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101915 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20LA306 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101915/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101915 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA306 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an antenna tower while maneuvering during an agricultural application flight while flying directly toward the sun. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Thrush S2R-H80, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=8380310), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tower/antenna (incl guy wires)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Thrush S2R-H80, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017/cases.md?model=8380310), [All aircraft, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022017/cases.md) - [Light condition: glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel; cases with it: [Thrush S2R-H80, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md?model=8380310), [All aircraft, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Thrush S2R-H80, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=8380310), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that, while spraying a field during his first agricultural application flight, he flew the airplane over the field east and west and was blinded by the sun. For the next application, he decided to fly north and south over the field, so the sun was not in his eyes. The airplane was operating normally, and he finished spraying the field. He remembered that he was supposed to spray another field to the east, but he could not remember anything after that. The airplane was found resting in the field. The airplane and a 150-ft-tall antenna tower located on the east edge of the field were substantially damaged, and a portion of the tower structure was found entangled with the right wing. The pilot was seriously injured. Review of astronomical data indicated that the sun at the time of the accident in relation to the tower location was almost due east. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N30529](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N30529-2021-12-09), registration cancelled 2021-12-09, S/N H80-108, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: THRUSH S2R-H80 - Registry model: [Thrush S2R-H80](https://openairdocs.org/model/thrush-s2r-h80) (registry code 8380310) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE AV H80-100](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-av-h80-100) (registry code 30170, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: H80-108 - Year built: 2012 - Airframe hours: 2884.99 - Engines: General Electric H80-100 800 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 91 - Operator: Dawson Brothers Spraying Service Inc - Registered owner: Dawson Brothers Spraying Service Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 3, 2020 - Departed: PVT, Hawkinsville, GA - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 16, 2020; seat: single; flight hours: 2,610 total, 200 in this make and model, 2,503 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 90 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 95 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: K48A, 11 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200903014019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200903014019A), Sep 3, 2020: Thrush Aircraft Inc S2R-H80, Hawkinsville, GA, Substantial damage. On September 3, 2020, at approximately 08:46 a.m. eastern daylight time, a 2012 Thrush aircraft, model S2R-H80, with registration N30529, sustained substantial… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101915. 17.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 6.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11937806&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20(As%20Received)_20200914_0001_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11938305&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Weather reports and records - sun data for accident site (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11937816&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records%20-%20Sun%20Data%20for%20Accident%20Site-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 4, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11937826&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Aerial image of accident location (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 6.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11937327&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Satellite%20Image%20of%20Accident%20Location-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - information provided by FAA (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11939915&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MEMORANDUM%20FOR%20RECORD-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.