Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aiken, South Carolina 29801
Tuesady, September 11, 1990 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ENGAGED IN AERIAL APPLICATION OF MALATHION ON COTTON FOR THE USDA BOLL WEEVIL ERADICATION PROGRAM. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE SECOND APPLICATION OF THE DAY. ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WIRES CROSSED OVER THE WESTERN END OF THE FIELD BEING SPRAYED. THE PILOT HAD BEEN IN RADIO CONTACT WITH USDA MONITORS WHO WERE LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE FIELD. THE MONITORS STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT IDENTIFIED ANY PROBLEMS OR DIFFICULTIES. APPROXIMATELY 14 SWATH RUNS HAD BEEN COMPLETED WHEN, ACCORDING TO THE MONITORS, THE PILOT PULLED UP LATE & COLLIDED WITH ONE OF THE STATIC WIRES THAT TOPPED THE ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND & BURNED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DELAYED PULL-UP DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION SWATH WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION WITH A STATIC WIRE ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City AIKEN
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29801
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID AGS
Elevation of weather observation facility 529
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) 600
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1149
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1055
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45217
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9422R
NTSB Number ATL90DLG02
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18802280T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 21 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 2859
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD C. MCNEIL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 871
Aircraft Owner City ORANGEBURG
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29116
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 BFGG
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --