- Date
- May 4, 2018, 15:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Truman, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4170SAir Tractor AT 802
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180504014969A
- Case key
- 97209
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 pole 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, during an agricultural application flight, the airplane hit a pole. The pilot added that he subsequently landed in a bean field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during an aerial application flight, the airplane hit a pole. The pilot added that he landed in a bean field after striking the pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4170S
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 802 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 802A-0278
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 5,021.4
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-65AG, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- 5-Gs Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- 5-Gs Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · March 7, 2018
- Departed
- Harrisburg, AR
- Destination
- Truman, AR
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- 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
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2017
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 16,940 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KJBR, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 1, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.