- Date
- February 23, 1995, 14:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Moses Lake, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4021ZAyres S2R-T34AG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950223002289A
- Case key
- 42113
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-in-command's failure to maintain adequate altitude above the terrain. Factors include his diverted attention and attempted maneuver to avoid obstructions.
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, while returning to base to reload after conducting aerial application activity, his attention was diverted out the left window by another field which was to be sprayed later. When he looked ahead again, he saw power transmission lines immediately ahead and applied immediate, abrupt forward pressure on the stick. The aircraft missed the power lines but collided with terrain.
Factual narrative
On February 23 1995, approximately 1420 Pacific standard time (PST), an Ayres S2R-T34AG, N4021Z, impacted the terrain while maneuvering to avoid power lines near Moses Lake, Washington. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received serious injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The FAR Part 137 aerial application flight, which had departed the operator's airstrip about 30 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no fire.
The pilot was returning to the airstrip to reload when his attention was distracted by a field which was to be sprayed later. When his attention returned to his flying, he spotted power transmission lines immediately in front of him. He quickly dove the aircraft in order to avoid the wires, but collided with an earthen berm as he passed underneath.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4021Z
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R-T34AG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T34-028
- Airframe hours
- 9,000
- Engine
- P&W PT6-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Moses Lake Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1994 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- WA40 · 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,442 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 10,442 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.