Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seminole, Texas 79360
Wednesday, November 3, 1999 14:10 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The agricultural airplane collided with two powerlines suspended approximately 20 feet above cotton fields in a north-south direction. The pilot reported that he was in the process of aligning the SATLOC equipped airplane for the first pass on the 320-acre field that he intended to spray. The pilot was on a westerly heading 'over a brownish colored matured cotton field and he never saw the dull aluminum wires' that the airplane collided with. The pilot added that the two electrical wires were severed after impacting the top of the windshield, the upper portion of the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder assembly. The rudder assembly was partially ripped from its mounts and jammed 'in a marked right rudder deflection.' After flying through the powerlines, the pilot attempted to continue straight ahead on a westerly heading; however, the rudder was pulling the airplane into a right turn, which he could not control with full opposite aileron. The pilot stated that when he could no longer maintain control of the airplane, he extended the flaps and 'crashed into a cotton field in a right wing low attitude.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the powerlines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SEMINOLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79360
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 11
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 819
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2141
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72062
NTSB Number FTW00LA024
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 188-019442T
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 15 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 438
Airframe Hours 6489
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ADDISON FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 910 SW 9TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City SEMINOLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79360
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 5TA0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
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 --