- Date
- August 13, 1987, 07:12 local (14:12 UTC)
- Place
- Mendota, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4219XRockwell S-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870813044249A
- Case key
- 25331
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The ground flagman reported the pilot had just completed spraying the bean field. The pilot was in the process of doing a touch-up application when he flew under the power lines. The airplane right wing contacted the lowest of the 4 powerlines, rolled inverted and crashed. The investigation disclosed that the right wing was up at the time it struck the power line. No evidence of any airplane preexisting malfunctions or failures was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4219X
- Reported as
- Rockwell S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1978R
- Airframe hours
- 9,100
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Vance Agcraft, Inc
- Registered owner
- Westside Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1987 · 244 hours before
- Departed
- Mendota, CA
- Airport
- Q84 · Mendota
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
- 43
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 7,014 total · 1,250 in this make and model · 7,014 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.