- Date
- July 2, 2017, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Edna, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6135PAir Tractor AT 502
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170702010799A
- Case key
- 95503
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 see and avoid a tower during an agricultural application flight.
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, he was focused on the top of electrical poles that paralleled the field. He added that he crossed between the electrical poles and was focused on the pole to the right of the airplane. Once he crossed the top wire, he focused his attention forward, but added that he "was staring at a 30-ft tower just to the left of the nose" of the airplane. The airplane struck the tower and then impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an aerial application flight, he was focused on the top of the electrical poles that paralleled the field. He added that he crossed between the electrical poles and was focused on the pole to the right of the airplane. Once he crossed the top wire he focused his attention forward, but added that he "was staring at a 30-ft tower just to the left of the nose" of the airplane. The airplane struck the tower and then impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6135P
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 502 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502B-0286
- Built
- 1995
- Airframe hours
- 9,428.7
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Coastal Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Coastal Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 7, 2016
- Departed
- Ganado, TX
- Destination
- Ganado, TX
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device, 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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 28, 2016
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 6,499 total · 2,081 in this make and model · 6,499 as pilot in command · 171 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KVCT, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.
Other investigations on N6135P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.