Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35661
Sunday, August 13, 1995 17:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED SPRAYING COTTON FIELDS. AS THE FLIGHT MADE AN APPROACH FROM NORTH TO SOUTH TOWARD A FIELD, A WITNESS OBSERVED A FLASH AND THEN SAW THE BURNING WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT HAD COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT TO SEE-AND-AVOID ELECTRICAL POWER LINES, WHILE APPROACHING A FIELD FOR AERIAL APPLICATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MUSCLE SHOALS
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35661
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1178
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4940R
NTSB Number MIA95LA204
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18802457T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR AG SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11370 NORTH HWY 83
Aircraft Owner City GARDEN CITY
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67846
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES L. HALE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 2 BOX 52A
Operator City FLORENCE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35633
Operator Code RYIG
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City FLORENCE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --