- Date
- October 3, 1993, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- New Deal, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2031JCessna T188C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931003037349A
- Case key
- 18944
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain ground clearance while avoiding a powerline. Failure of the pilot to see a second set of power lines prior to initiating the spraying run was also a cause.
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 stated he was to make his first pass from south to north over a set of power lines that he was aware of on the south end of the field. He initiated the pass by diving into the field over the lines. As he did so, he saw a second set of 30 foot high lines, 291 feet north of the first. He successfully went under the second lines; however, the airplane struck the ground shortly thereafter. The support poles for the second set of lines were obscured.
Factual narrative
On October 3, 1993, approximately 0915 central daylight time, a Cessna T188C, N2031J, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground during an abrupt maneuver, near New Deal, Texas. The airplane, flown by a commercial pilot, was on a local aerial application flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot received minor injuries.
The pilot stated that he circled the field to be sprayed, looking for obstructions. He saw none other than the set of power lines at the south end of the field, of which he was already aware. The pilot said he was beginning his first pass on the field, flying from south to north, by diving into the field over the southern set of lines. He further stated that at that point he saw a second set of 30 foot high lines, located 291 feet north of the first set. He successfully dove under the lines; however, the airplane struck the ground collapsing the gear. The second set of power lines ran parallel to the first and the western pole was obscured by a tree line, while the eastern pole was part of the first set of lines.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2031J
- Reported as
- Cessna T188C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T18803336T
- Airframe hours
- 2,175
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Longhorn Spraying, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 1993 · 90 hours before
- Departed
- F83 · Abernathy, TX
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 6,000 in this make and model · 200 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 315° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.