Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Capon Bridge, West Virginia 26711
Saturday, May 19, 1990 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE SPRAYING GYPSY MOTHES WITH DIMILIN OVER WOODED/HILLY TERRAIN, THE DC-3 COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES IN A VALLEY AREA. WITNESSES IN AN NEARBY OBSERVATION AIRCRAFT REPORTED THE DC-3 ENTERED A GRADUAL CLIMB, WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL THE DC-3 WAS IN A STEEP NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PILOT OF THE OBSERVATION AIRCRAFT TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DC-3 PILOTS, BUT COULD NOT MAKE RADIO CONTACT. THE OBSERVATION PILOT REPORTED THE DC-3 ENTERED A STALL/SPIN AT ABOUT 1200 FT AGL, THEN CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE. THE DC-3 WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A WIRE CUTTER KIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF THE DC-3, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE POWERLINES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE OBSTRUCTION (TRANSMISSION WIRES), AND THE LACK OF VISUAL CUES FOR THE PILOTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CAPON BRIDGE
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26711
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 84
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 1170
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2141
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 19 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43642
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1FN
NTSB Number BFO90FA046
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 DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-3
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-3
Aircraft Serial Number 11685
Certified Max Gross Weight 26200
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 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 25 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 34906
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name K & K AIRCRAFT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7
Aircraft Owner City BRIDGEWATER
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22812
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MRB
Departure City MARTINSBURG
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W16
Destination City WINCHESTER
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
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 --