- Date
- June 15, 2004, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rush Springs, OK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N21650Cessna 188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040615017779A
- Case key
- 59450
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 clearance with a utility pole and power lines while maneuvering during an aerial application.
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 airplane impacted two power lines. The 4,180-hour commercial pilot departed the grass airstrip with 65 gallons of water and grazon (chemical) on board. He entered the field from the south to spray on the west side of the field, and over trees. He descended into the field, and immediately impacted a utility pole and two power lines that were aligned east and west. The airplane was able to continue to fly to the airstrip and land.
Factual narrative
On June 15, 2004, approximately 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 188B single-engine agricultural airplane, N21650, was substantially damaged after colliding with a utility pole and power lines while maneuvering near Rush Springs, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from a private airstrip, near Rush Springs, Oklahoma, at an unknown time.
The 4,180-hour pilot reported on the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that he departed the grass airstrip with 65 gallons of water and grazon (chemical) on board. He entered the field from the south to spray on the west side of the field, and over trees. He descended into the field and immediately impacted a utility pole and two power lines that were aligned east and west. The airplane was able to continue to fly to the private airstrip and land.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported that the empennage of the airplane was twisted. A utility pole was broken and laying in a field near the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21650
- Reported as
- Cessna 188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18800933
- Airframe hours
- 4,897
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Gene Townsen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 3, 2004 · 78.9 hours before
- Departed
- Rush Springs, OK
- Airport
- Rush Springs Airstrip
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,180 total · 3,000 in this make and model · 3,984 as pilot in command · 106 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.