- Date
- October 18, 2016, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Paragould, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4218EAir Tractor AT 502
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20161018016779A
- Case key
- 94245
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 avoid electrical wires during low-altitude maneuvering, which resulted in a wire strike.
Findings · 5
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 in a left turn during an aerial application flight the airplane encountered a gust of wind and began to "shake", so he leveled the wings momentarily before continuing the turn. He further reported that he was looking at the field instead of where he was turning and when the airplane was 30-50 feet above the ground he looked up and saw electrical wires. The right wing tip struck the electrical wires and the airplane made a forced landing in a nearby pond. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings and fuselage. The pilot also reported that during the day of the accident he was under stress and his head was "in another place". The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while in a left turn during an aerial application flight the airplane encountered a gust of wind and began to "shake", so he leveled the wings momentarily before continuing the turn. He further reported that he was looking at the field instead of where he was turning and when the airplane was 30-50 feet above the ground he looked up and saw electrical wires. The right wing tip struck the electrical wires and the airplane made a forced landing in a nearby pond. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings and fuselage. The pilot also reported that during the day of the accident he was under stress and his head was "in another place". The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4218E
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 502 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-2701
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 3,528
- Engine
- P&W Canada PT6A-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- DKD Flying Service, doing business as Three Rivers Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Cardinal Air LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 5, 2016
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 30
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 25, 2016
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 4,600 total · 750 in this make and model · 4,570 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 19 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KJBR, 15 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 2, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 968 KB 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.