- Date
- November 28, 2018, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Americus, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N843WAAir Tractor AT 502
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181128022979A
- Case key
- 98698
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 power line during an agricultural application flight.
Findings · 4
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, he surveyed a field before spraying and saw multiple power lines and poles. While spraying the field and after turning, about 20 ft above the ground, he pulled up and immediately felt "a massive jerk" and saw a "flash" due to the airplane's nose striking a power wire. The airplane entered a descending turn to an open field adjacent to the spray field. The pilot pushed the power lever forward but did not get a response. During the forced landing, the right wing struck a tree, the airplane rotated 180°, and the left wing and empennage impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. 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 agricultural application flight, he surveyed a field before spraying and observed multiple power line wires and poles. While spraying the field, after a turn, about 20 ft above ground, he pulled up and immediately felt "a massive jerk" and saw a "flash" (airplane nose struck a power line wire). The pilot entered a descending turn to an open field adjacent to the spray field. He pushed the power lever forward but did not get a response. During the forced landing, the right wing struck a tree, the airplane rotated 180°, and the left wing and empennage impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N843WA
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT 502 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502-0011
- Built
- 1988
- Airframe hours
- 14,124.6
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Souther Field Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Souther Field Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 29, 2018
- Departed
- ACJ · Americus, GA
- Destination
- ACJ · Americus, GA
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display
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
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,537 total · 400 in this make and model · 2,537 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KACJ, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 20, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 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.