- Date
- August 13, 1995, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Muscle Shoals, AL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4940RCessna A188B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950813023079A
- Case key
- 37815
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate visual lookout to see-and-avoid electrical power lines, while approaching a field for aerial application.
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 flight was observed spraying cotton fields. As the flight made an approach from north to south toward a field, a witness observed a flash and then saw the burning wreckage of the aircraft. Examination showed the aircraft had collided with electrical power lines.
Factual narrative
On August 13, 1995, about 1720 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B, N4940R, registered to Air Ag Service, Inc., struck wires and crashed near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, while on a 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the commercial-rated pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Florence, Alabama, about 1700.
A witness observed the aircraft spraying cotton fields. As the aircraft made a pass from north to south he observed a flash out of the corner of his eye and then observed the flames coming from the aircraft wreckage.
Examination of the crash site by an FAA inspector showed the vertical stabilizer of the aircraft had contacted an electrical transmission line as the aircraft approached a cotton field to spray. The aircraft crashed about 50 feet from the electrical lines and a postcrash fire erupted and destroyed the aircraft.
Postmortem examination of the pilot was performed by Kenneth E. Warner, M.D., Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The cause of death was attributed to multiple blunt trauma injuries. No findings which could be considered causal to the accident were reported.
Postmortem toxicology testing on specimens obtained from the pilot was performed by Dr. Dennis V. Canfield, FAA Toxicology Unit, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The tests were negative for ethanol alcohol, basic, acidic, and neutral drugs.
An NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (6120.1/2), was sent to representatives of the operator. The completed report was not returned to NTSB. Logbook records on the aircraft and pilot were requested by FAA and NTSB following the accident. The operator did not produce the logbook records for examination.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4940R
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18802457T
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- James L. Hale, doing business as Larry Hale
- Registered owner
- Air Ag Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Florence, AL
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSL, 5 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.
Other investigations on N4940R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.