Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pioneer, Louisiana 71266
Thursday, June 1, 2000 7:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane departed with full fuel and 150 gallons of herbicide for a local aerial application flight. The airplane made three north-south spray runs, and during the third turn from the south to the north, the airplane contacted trees, the left wing separated, and subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground. A witness stated that during the third turn he could hear, but could 'barely see the aircraft over the tree tops, unlike the previous two times.' A friend of the accident pilot, who is also an agricultural pilot for the same operator, reported that on the evening of May 31, 2000, (one day prior to the accident flight) the accident pilot reported that he had 'hit some trees on that day and had to pull the leaves out of the boom of the airplane.' The accident pilot had also reported that 'he had the power lines licked, but seemed to have a problem clearing the tree tops.' The pilot had successfully completed a professional agricultural pilot training course on May 5, 2000, and the accident flight was the pilot's second revenue spray flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. A factor was the pilot's lack in experience with aerial application flight operations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PIONEER
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71266
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 6
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 Witness
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) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 584
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70114
NTSB Number FTW00LA166
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 18801840T
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 Mar 1 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIONEER FLYING SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1413 LEGGITT XING
Aircraft Owner City PIONEER
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71266
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code JOBG
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 635
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 Apr 21 2001 4:04AM
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 --