- Date
- June 12, 2020, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lenore, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N40226Ayres S2R
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200612009519A
- Case key
- 101431
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 power lines while maneuvering during an aerial application flight, which resulted in a wire strike.
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 reported that prior to conducting an aerial application on a field, he circled the field twice to look for obstacles. As he completed his first aerial application pass, he observed power lines that he did not previously see. Being too close to climb above them, the pilot chose to fly underneath the power lines. The airplane subsequently struck a guy wire and impacted terrain. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40226
- Reported as
- Ayres S2R (T34)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T34-046DC
- Built
- 1981
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6-34AG, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- CJ Air LLC
- Registered owner
- CJ Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- S89 · Craigmont, ID
- Destination
- S89 · Craigmont, ID
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2018
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 9,693 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 9,693 as pilot in command · 395 in the last 90 days · 326 in the last 30 days · 12 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KLWS, 21 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 891 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.