- Date
- August 15, 2000, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Deerpark, LA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 20000815006659A20000815007879A
- Case key
- 50009
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 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.
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.