Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Decatur, Texas 76234
Saturday, May 15, 1993 11:42 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PASSES DISPENSING HERBICIDE, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A TREE AT ONE END OF THE FIELD. BECAUSE HE WAS FLYING UNDER POWER LINES, HE WAS UNABLE TO PULL UP OVER THE TREE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB SLIGHTLY AND BANKED RIGHT TO GET THE LEFT WING OVER THE TREE. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY BANKED TO THE RIGHT, BUT THEN LEVELED WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TREE AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE GROUND

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE TURBULENCE

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1142
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DECATUR
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76234
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1051 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID FTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 500
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 46
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 588
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52775
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9901G
NTSB Number FTW93LA159
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model A188A
Aircraft Series Identifier A188A
Aircraft Serial Number 18800701
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 4847
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SITTON, DWAYNE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 1, BOX 10A
Aircraft Owner City JUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76247
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SITTON, DWAYNE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RT. 1, BOX 10A
Operator City JUSTIN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76247
Operator Code STNG
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 NONE
Departure City JUSTIN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
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 --