- Date
- July 8, 2000, 19:40 local (Jul 9, 2000, 00:40 UTC)
- Place
- Chase, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N731DWCessna A188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 6, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 49640
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 failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the deer stand. Factors were the chemical covering the windshield and the glare from the setting sun.
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
According to the operator, the pilot was applying chemical to a field, when the airplane impacted a 14-foot-tall deer stand. The pilot stated that the chemical being sprayed covered the airplane's windshield and the 'flight path was into setting sun.' The pilot further stated that he was distracted with the GPS flagging unit and was unaware of the deer stand positioned in his flight path.
Factual narrative
On July 8, 2000, at 1940 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B agricultural airplane, N731DW, was substantially damaged when it impacted a deer hunting stand during an aerial application flight near Chase, Louisiana. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the Goodman Flying Service Inc. of Chase, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 flight. The local flight originated from the operator's private airstrip at 1810.
According to the operator, the pilot was applying a chemical over a field, when the airplane impacted a 14-foot-tall deer stand. The pilot stated that the chemical being sprayed covered the airplane's windshield and the "flight path was into setting sun." The pilot further stated that he was distracted with the GPS flagging unit and was unaware of the deer stand positioned in his flight path.
The pilot stated that he "crash landed" in a cotton field approximately 1/4 mile from the deer stand. The airplane came to rest upright.
The operator reported that the airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, the fuselage, and the empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731DW
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802824T
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Goodman Flying Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- NONE · Gilbert, LA
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 7,300 total · 350 in this make and model · 375 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F