Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seminole, Texas 79360
Friday, September 3, 1999 15:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The agricultural airplane collided with powerlines while approaching the field being sprayed for the 12th application pass. The pilot reported that the airplane was on a southerly heading when it collided with the two top guide wires of the east-west powerline. The airplane spun to the right and impacted the ground inverted after the collision with the wires. The pilot stated that he was concentrating his attentions on the light bar for the SatLoc swath guidance system installed on the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with powerlines. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention to the light bar for the electronic swath guidance system installed in the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SEMINOLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79360
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
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 1550 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID HOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3659
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) --
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) 441
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 3 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7362
NTSB Number FTW99LA252
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 931
Certified Max Gross Weight 6075
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 28 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 123
Airframe Hours 12500
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HATFIELD SPRAYING SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18155 120TH AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City NUNICA
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49448
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name J.R. DAVIS FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 4
Operator City SEMINOLE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79360
Operator Code NCWG
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 E39
Departure City SEAGRAVES
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1535
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 --