- Date
- April 27, 2008, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Waitsburg, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1519UAir Tractor AT-502
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080427832069A
- Case key
- 67894
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 the terrain while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the rising terrain.
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
After arriving at the steep hillside field to which he was going to apply chemicals, the pilot maneuvered at low level over the field in an attempt to determine the best pattern to fly to accomplish the job. During that process he inadvertently allowed the airplane to get into a position from which it was not able to climb over the rising terrain. Although he dumped his chemical load and leveled the airplanes wings, the airplane impacted the terrain about 75 feet below the top of a ridge.
Factual narrative
After arriving at the steep hillside field to which he was going to apply chemicals, the pilot maneuvered at low level over the field in an attempt to determine the best pattern to fly to accomplish the job. During that process he inadvertently allowed himself to get in a position from which the airplane was not able to climb over the rising terrain. Although he dumped his chemical load and leveled the airplane's wings, the airplane impacted the terrain about 75 feet below the top of a ridge.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1519U
- Reported as
- Air Tractor AT-502
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 502-0154
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-15, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Gregory M. Beck
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Waitsburg, WA
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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 17,900 total · 500 in this make and model · 65 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °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 N1519U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.