- Date
- September 5, 2016, 11:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Hondo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N31627Air Tractor AT
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 4, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160905014959A
- Case key
- 93947
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 from an antenna atop a tower while maneuvering at a low altitude and the airplane’s subsequent impact with terrain during an attempted off-airport landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an agricultural application flight, the airplane struck an antenna atop a tower adjacent to the field, and the antenna wrapped around the right wing and landing gear. The pilot added that he attempted an off-airport landing, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. In an e-mail, the tower owner's lawyer reported that the tower was used for internet and two-way communications. He added that the tower was under 200 ft above ground level and "with the antenna attached, the tower was in the mid to upper 100 [foot] range." The lawyer reported that the tower was marked and lit appropriately and was not registered due its height.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an aerial application flight, the airplane struck an antenna atop a tower adjacent to the field, and the antenna wrapped around the right wing and landing gear. The pilot further reported that he attempted an off-airport landing, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. In an email with the tower owner's lawyer, he reported that the tower was used for internet and two way communications. He further reported that the tower was under 200 feet above ground level and "with the antenna attached, the tower was in the mid to upper 100 [foot] range." The lawyer reported that the tower was marked and lit appropriately and was not registered, due to the tower height.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31627
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT (400)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 400-0506
- Built
- 1983
- Airframe hours
- 19,575
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PP6-27, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Rustys Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Rustys Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 12, 2016
- Departed
- 4TS8 · D'Hanis, TX
- Destination
- 4TS8 · D'Hanis, TX
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS
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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 3, 2016
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,727 total · 727 in this make and model · 2,714.5 as pilot in command · 460 in the last 90 days · 174 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KHDO, 1 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.