Stockton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stockton, California 95206
Sunday, August 16, 1992 7:19 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER COMPLETING AN AERIAL APPLICATION SWATH RUN THE PILOT ELECTED TO GO UNDER THE HIGH TRANSMISSION WIRES BUT FAILED TO OBSERVE THE LOWER WIRES. THE UPPER SECTION OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER STRUCK THE LOWER WIRES CAUSING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER TO SEPARATE. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE TO STOCKTON AIRPORT, BUT LANDED SHORT BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE. THE PILOT DID NOT INDICATE THAT PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE SWATH RUN THAT HE FLEW OVER THE FIELD TO CHECK FOR OBSTACLES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING AND VISUAL LOOKOUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 719
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City STOCKTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95206
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STOCKTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SCK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 30
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 720 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID SCK
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 35
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 694
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46633
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4623E
NTSB Number LAX92LA350
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WEATHERLY
Aircraft Model 620
Aircraft Series Identifier 620
Aircraft Serial Number 1517
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 Feb 7 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 438
Airframe Hours 1950
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES L. COPPLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 231
Aircraft Owner City ACAMPO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95220
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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
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 103
Departure City LODI
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29L
Runway Length 2996
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --