Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seward, Nebraska 68434
Wednesday, August 18, 1999 19:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he had been spraying several corn fields and flying under the power lines. On a pass heading northbound, and flying under power lines, the pilot said that the tail of the airplane caught the bottom wire, tearing the tail off and flipping the airplane on its back. Examination of the accident site revealed an east-west running power line preceding the airplane wreckage by 250 feet. One of the wires showed fraying and unraveling. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power line. A factor relating to this accident was the power line.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SEWARD
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68434
Event Date Year 1999
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1954 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID LNK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1218
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2436
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 765
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N136MC
NTSB Number CHI99LA303
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 A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18801917T
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 5 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 121
Airframe Hours 5042
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STANLEY C. BENNETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2200 HERITAGE PINES COURT #422
Aircraft Owner City LINCOLN
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68506
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 OGBG
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 0J9
Departure City UTICA
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
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 10:35AM
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 --