- Date
- March 30, 1993, 09:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Des Arc, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4437SAir Tractor AT-301
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 10, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930330007419A
- Case key
- 18719
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 loss of outside visual reference and loss of control.
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 pilot reported that during agriculture spraying operations the weather conditions began to deteriorate. He decided to return to his private air strip. During the return flight lightning struck in close proximately to the aircraft, resulting in pilot's loss of outside visual references. The airplane descended out of control to ground impact. Just prior to impact the pilot was able to level the wings of the airplane.
Factual narrative
On March 30, 1993, at approximately 0915 central standard time (CST) an Air Tractor AT 301, N4437S, was destroyed on ground impact following a wire strike near Hickory Plains, Arkansas. The commercial pilot, also the owner and operator, was not injured. Weather was visual meteorological conditions.
The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation inspector that as he was maneuvering for continued spraying operations lightning struck an electrical power line to his immediate front. He reported that the bright flash caused him to lose his sight momentarily and he flew into the wire and descended uncontrollably to ground impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4437S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-301
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 301-0097
- Airframe hours
- 5,600
- Engine
- P&W R1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Mcconnaughhay, Kenneth W., doing business as Kens Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Mcconnaughhay, Ken
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 12, 1992 · 85 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE
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
- 34
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 5,431 total · 80 in this make and model · 5,330 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 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 N4437S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.