- Date
- May 15, 1993, 11:42 local (16:42 UTC)
- Place
- Decatur, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9901GCessna A188A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930515013919A
- Case key
- 18751
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 adequate clearance. A factor was the turbulence
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
After making several passes dispensing herbicide, the pilot encountered a tree at one end of the field. Because he was flying under power lines, he was unable to pull up over the tree. The pilot stated that he attempted to climb slightly and banked right to get the left wing over the tree. He said that the airplane initially banked to the right, but then leveled when it encountered turbulence. The left wing struck the tree and the pilot lost control. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground
Factual narrative
On Saturday, May 15, 1993, at approximately 1142 central daylight time, a Cessna A188A, N9901G, was destroyed when it collided with trees and the ground while maneuvering near Decatur, Texas. The airplane, operated by Aerial Spraying, and flown by an ATP rated pilot, was on a 14 CFR Part 137 local aerial application flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.
The pilot stated that after making several passes dispensing herbicide on range land, he encountered a tree at one end of the field. Because he was flying under power lines, the pilot was unable to pull up over the tree. He stated that he attempted to climb slightly and bank to the right to get the left wing over the tree. He further stated that the airplane initially entered the right bank, but that turbulence caused the wings to level and the left one struck the tree. The pilot lost control and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9901G
- Reported as
- Cessna A188A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18800701
- Airframe hours
- 4,847
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Sitton, Dwayne, doing business as Aerial Spraying
- Registered owner
- Sitton, Dwayne
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 3, 1993 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Justin, TX
- 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
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,492 total · 500 in this make and model · 9,425 as pilot in command · 96 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW, 46 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.