- Date
- August 15, 1987, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Mediapolis, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4949XRockwell S-2R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 16, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870815045769A
- Case key
- 34433
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 pilot stated that the field to be sprayed appeared safe enough when he flew a recon flight over the area the day prior to the accident. He stated that he didn't expect the power transmission lines to be so low, and that he did not see a rise in the cultivated terrain just under the powerlines. The day of the accident, as the pilot flew under the lines and over the hump in the cornfield, the right spray boom snagged the corn, pulling the right wing down. The aircraft then swerved 180 degrees and impacted the terrain before coming to rest.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4949X
- Reported as
- Rockwell S-2R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5010R
- Airframe hours
- 2,181
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Raymond W. Breazeale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 8, 1987 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- MPZ · Mediapolis, IA
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
- 60
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 2,183 in this make and model · 14,800 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 100 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 185° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 13 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F
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 N4949X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.