FTW00LA233

NTSB accident investigation · Air Tractor AT-502 · Deerpark, LA · August 15, 2000

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 15, 2000, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
Place
Deerpark, LA
Injuries
1 minor, 1 uninjured
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N9136UAir Tractor AT-502N944QCSchweizer G-164B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report December 4, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
50009

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the failure of both pilots to maintain a visual outlook during landing approach. A contributing factor was both pilot's failure to follow recommended traffic patterns.

the failure of both pilots to maintain a visual outlook during landing approach. A contributing factor was both pilot's failure to follow recommended traffic patterns.

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.

Midair collisionApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Visual lookout - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Visual lookout - not maintainedPilot of other aircraftCause
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot in commandFactor
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot of other aircraftFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground
Midair collisionApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Visual lookout - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Visual lookout - not maintainedPilot of other aircraftCause
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot in commandFactor
Procedures/directives - not followedPilot of other aircraftFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The Air Tractor was on a straight-in approach for a north landing. The Schweizer had made a base leg from the west over high power lines and trees for a north landing. The Air Tractor was about 60 feet agl when the Schweizer impacted the top of its fuselage, aft of the cockpit. Both airplanes impacted the ground together about a quarter mile short of the runway. A fire destroyed both airplanes. FAA AC 90-66A, Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns And Practices for Aeronautical Operations At Airports Without Operating Control Towers, states in paragraph 8c, "arriving aircraft should be at the appropriate traffic pattern altitude before entering the traffic pattern. Entry to the downwind leg should be at a 45 degree angle abeam the midpoint of the runway." The operator reported that communication at the privately owned airport is by FM radio. The Air Tractor was not equipped with an FM radio.

The Air Tractor was on a straight-in approach for a north landing. The Schweizer had made a base leg from the west over high power lines and trees for a north landing. The Air Tractor was about 60 feet agl when the Schweizer impacted the top of its fuselage, aft of the cockpit. Both airplanes impacted the ground together about a quarter mile short of the runway. A fire destroyed both airplanes. FAA AC 90-66A, Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns And Practices for Aeronautical Operations At Airports Without Operating Control Towers, states in paragraph 8c, that "arriving aircraft should be at the appropriate traffic pattern altitude before entering the traffic pattern. Entry to the downwind leg should be at a 45 degree angle abeam the midpoint of the runway." The operator reported that communication at the privately owned airport is by FM radio. The Air Tractor was not equipped with an FM radio.

Factual narrative

On August 15, 2000, at 1330 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, N9136U, and a Schweizer G-164B, N944QC, both agricultural airplanes, collided in flight while landing at the F L Braughton Airport near Deerpark, Louisiana. The Air Tractor AT-502 was registered to the Lewis Flying Maintenance Service of Morse, Louisiana, and the Schweizer G-164B was registered to the Angelina Flying Service of Vidalia, Louisiana. Angelina Flying Service was the operator of both airplanes. Both flights were conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as aerial application flights. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the Air Tractor AT-502, sustained minor injuries, and the commercial pilot, sole occupant of the Schweizer G-164B, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for either flight. Both flights originated from the privately owned F L Braughton Airport, located 5 miles south of Deerpark.

The Air Tractor was on a straight-in approach for a north landing. The Schweizer had made a base leg from the west over high power lines and trees for a north landing. The Air Tractor was about 60 feet agl when the Schweizer impacted the top of its fuselage, aft of the cockpit. Both airplanes impacted the ground together about a quarter mile short of the runway. A fire destroyed both airplanes.

FAA AC 90-66A, Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns And Practices for Aeronautical Operations At Airports Without Operating Control Towers, states in paragraph 8c, that "arriving aircraft should be at the appropriate traffic pattern altitude before entering the traffic pattern. Entry to the downwind leg should be at a 45 degree angle abeam the midpoint of the runway."

The operator reported that communication at the privately owned airport is by FM radio. The Air Tractor was not equipped with an FM radio.

On August 15, 2000, at 1330 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502, N9136U, and a Schweizer G-164B, N944QC, both agricultural airplanes, collided in flight while landing at the F L Braughton Airport near Deerpark, Louisiana. The Air Tractor AT-502 was registered to the Lewis Flying Maintenance Service of Morse, Louisiana, and the Schweizer G-164B was registered to the Angelina Flying Service of Vidalia, Louisiana. Angelina Flying Service was the operator of both airplanes. Both flights were conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as aerial application flights. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the Air Tractor AT-502, sustained minor injuries, and the commercial pilot, sole occupant of the Schweizer G-164B, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for either flight. Both flights originated from the privately owned F L Braughton Airport, located 5 miles south of Deerpark.

The Air Tractor was on a straight-in approach for a north landing. The Schweizer had made a base leg from the west over high power lines and trees for a north landing. The Air Tractor was about 60 feet agl when the Schweizer impacted the top of its fuselage, aft of the cockpit. Both airplanes impacted the ground together about a quarter mile short of the runway. A fire destroyed both airplanes.

FAA AC 90-66A, Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns And Practices for Aeronautical Operations At Airports Without Operating Control Towers, states in paragraph 8c, that "arriving aircraft should be at the appropriate traffic pattern altitude before entering the traffic pattern. Entry to the downwind leg should be at a 45 degree angle abeam the midpoint of the runway."

The operator reported that communication at the privately owned airport is by FM radio. The Air Tractor was not equipped with an FM radio.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N9136U
Reported as
Air Tractor AT-502
Category
Airplane
Serial number
502-0204
Airframe hours
4,983
Engine
P&W PT6-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Operator
Angelina Flying Service
Registered owner
Lewis Flying Maintenance Svc
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
100 hour · July 29, 2000 · 50 hours before
Departed
NONE
Airport
LA40 · F L Braughton, runway 18, 3,000 × 30 ft, asphalt

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.

Registration
N944QC
Reported as
Schweizer G-164B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
697B
Airframe hours
4,629
Engine
Garrett TPE331-1012, 665 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner
Angelina Flying Service
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
100 hour · December 31, 1999 · 567 hours before
Departed
NONE
Airport
LA40 · F L Braughton, runway 18, 3,000 × 30 ft, asphalt

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot, aircraft N9136U
Age
23
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Center
Flight hours
3,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command · 300 in the last 90 days · 150 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot, aircraft N944QC
Age
48
Certificate
Commercial
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Center
Flight hours
15,364 total · 1,350 in this make and model · 15,200 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Wind
180° at 6 knots
Visibility
5 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
208 °F

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.