- Date
- June 12, 2008, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Muscle Shoals, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N402BTAir Tractor AT-402B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080612839389A
- Case key
- 68217
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 maintain clearance from utility wires during low altitude maneuvers.
Findings · 2
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 of an Air Tractor AT-402B stated that he was making east and west passes above a cornfield, maneuvering under power lines at one end. On his last pass, the vertical stabilizer contacted a power line, shearing the upper section of the stabilizer and the entire rudder. The pilot was able to land the airplane at a nearby airport without further incident. The pilot further stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot of an Air Tractor AT-402B stated he was making east and west passes above a cornfield, maneuvering under power lines at one end. On his last pass, the vertical stabilizer contacted a power line, shearing the upper section of the stabilizer and the entire rudder. The pilot was able to land the airplane at a nearby airport without further incident. The pilot further stated there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N402BT
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-402B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402B-1166
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Buster Thorton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- NONE · Rogersville, AL
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- MSL · Northwest Alabama Regional
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2006
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total · 525 in this make and model · 16,900 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MSL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.