- Date
- May 30, 2000, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marmaduke, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2065SPzl-Mielec M-18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000530005589A
- Case key
- 49302
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 control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush.
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
While maneuvering during an aerial application flight, the pilot reported that the airplane 'had a violent vibration.' The pilot leveled the wings, pitched the nose down, and added power. He then flew the airplane straight and level for 1.5 miles. As the pilot banked the airplane right to turn back into the wind, the airplane began descending. The pilot added more power, but the airplane continued to descend. Although the pilot executed an emergency hopper dump and added full power, the airplane descended into a cotton field. The right landing gear touched the ground, and the airplane began skidding across the field. After passing under power lines and across a highway, the airplane began to climb. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a near vertical attitude against a tree. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On May 30, 2000, at 1330 central daylight time, a Pzl-Mielec M-18A agricultural airplane, N2065S, sustained substantial damage during an in flight collision with terrain while maneuvering near Marmaduke, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Sky King Aviation, Inc., of Rector, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. No flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed from the Rector Airport approximately 1305.
In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that the airplane "had a violent vibration" while in a turn. The pilot leveled the wings, pitched the nose down, and added power. He then flew the airplane straight and level for 1.5 miles. As the pilot banked the airplane right to turn back into the wind, the airplane began descending. The pilot added more power, but the airplane continued to descend. Although the pilot executed an emergency hopper dump and added full power, the airplane descended into a cotton field. The right main landing gear touched the ground, and the airplane began skidding across the field. After passing under power lines and across a highway, the airplane began to climb. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a near vertical attitude against a tree. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2065S
- Reported as
- Pzl-Mielec M-18A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12024-16
- Airframe hours
- 1,263
- Engine
- Pzl-Kalisz PZL ASZ-62IR, 1,000 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Sky King Aviation, Inc., doing business as Aerial Application
- Registered owner
- J.C. Helms
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 1999 · 146 hours before
- Departed
- 7M8 · Rector, AR
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,863 total · 239 in this make and model · 4,750 as pilot in command · 86 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2065S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.