Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stanfield, Arizona 85272
Wednesday, April 5, 1995 17:09 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE SURVIVING PASSENGER SAID HE HAD NO MEMORY OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT AND WAS IN THE REAR SEAT TO OBSERVE THE USE OF A GPS-BASED GUIDANCE SYSTEM WHICH HIS COMPANY HAD PURCHASED. THE OPERATOR IS A DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND WAS CONDUCTING CLASSES FOR PURCHASERS OF THE SYSTEM. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO CHEMICALS ON BOARD. A WITNESS WAS 1 MILE FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT IN A TURN NEAR THE EDGE OF A FARM FIELD, THEN SAW THE BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM THE SITE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO SAW WIRE CONTACT SIGNATURES ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND SPREADER BOOMS. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE TURNING FROM A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST DIRECTION IN A 40-DEGREE BANKED TURN WHEN IT STRUCK FOUR 1-INCH DIAMETER ALUMINUM POWER LINES AT A FARM FIELD'S WESTERN BOUNDARY. THREE OF THE LINES WERE SEVERED. THREE SEPARATE SECTIONS OF THE WIRE HAD ENDS WITH A CUT APPEARANCE, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF DUCTILE DEFORMATION OR NECKING. THE PROPELLER DISPLAYED LEADING EDGE DAMAGE, CHORDWISE SCORING, TORSIONAL TWIST SIGNATURES, AND TIP BENDING OPPOSITE THE CAMBERED SIDE. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout for, and clearance from, obstacles while conducting simulated aerial application operations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1709
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City STANFIELD
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85272
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2150
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3105B
NTSB Number LAX95LA154
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AYRES
Aircraft Model S2R-T34
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R-T34
Aircraft Serial Number T34-136DC
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 28 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 867
Airframe Hours 3535
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CFS AIRCRAFT TRUST
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 338
Aircraft Owner City STANFIELD
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85272
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WALTON ENTERPRISES OF ARIZONA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code WTOG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --