- Date
- August 2, 2002, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Indianola, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4723QCessna A188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20020802020079A
- Case key
- 55426
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 failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with a transmission wire resulting in the collision and substantial damage.
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
According to the operator, during a spray run of a cotton field, the airplane collided with an unmarked power line. The pilot then immediately landed in the cotton field. The operator also stated that the pilot was familiar with the field he was spraying and thought that the airplane was clear of power lines so he initiated a climb, resulting in the contact. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that approximately 1 foot of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly were separated. Additionally, arcing was noted on the right wing lift strut, and the propeller was damaged.
Factual narrative
On August 2, 2002, about 1030 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N4723Q, registered to and operated by Valley Air Applicators, Inc., collided with an unmarked power line during a spray run near Indianola, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the commercial-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 1005, from the Indianola Municipal Airport, Indianola, Mississippi.
According to the operator, during a spray run of a cotton field, the airplane collided with an unmarked power line. The pilot then immediately landed in the cotton field. The operator also stated that the pilot was familiar with the field he was spraying and thought that the airplane was clear of power lines so he initiated a climb, resulting in the contact.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that approximately 1 foot of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly were separated. Additionally, arcing was noted on the right wing lift strut, and the propeller was damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4723Q
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802494T
- Airframe hours
- 5,553
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Valley Air Applicators, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 20, 2002 · 89 hours before
- Departed
- KIDL · Indianola, MS
- Destination
- KIDL
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, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 22, 2000
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 6,020 in this make and model · 20,000 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KGWO, 25 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.