Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lariat, Texas 79347
Thursday, September 14, 2000 18:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness observed the agricultural airplane making several spray passes over the field in which an antenna tower was located. The witness observed the aircraft making a 'very low spray pass.' He then observed the airplane pull nose up and bank to the left. The right wing contacted the uppermost guy wire on the north side of the antenna. Subsequently, the wire snapped 'causing the upper part of the tower to fall.' The witness added that the impact with the wire had 'disrupted the flight of the aircraft by spinning it to the right.' The airplane then impacted the ground and caught fire. The pilot had accumulated approximately 15,750 total flight hours, of which an unknown amount were in the accident airplane. According to toxicology tests, 0.071 ug/ml of diphenhydramine was detected in the pilot's blood, and an unquantified amount was found in the urine. Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter drug used as an antihistamine. Results of a study on diphenhydramine concluded that it adversely affects a person's ability to maneuver an automobile.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the antenna guy wire. A factor was the pilot's physical impairment from his use of diphenhydramine.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1810
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LARIAT
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79347
Event Date Year 2000
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 1835 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID CVN
Elevation of weather observation facility 4214
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
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) 589
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 14 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1508V
NTSB Number FTW00LA259
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-502
Aircraft Series Identifier AT-502
Aircraft Serial Number 502-0144
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3000
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOCKER FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 68
Aircraft Owner City MULESHOE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79347
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 LKRG
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 TA87
Departure City MULESHOE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 4:05AM
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 --