Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuma, Arizona 85364
Saturday, September 15, 1990 4:05 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE DEPARTED FROM THE JACKSON AG STRIP AT ABOUT 0400 HOURS AFTER LOADING CHEMICALS TO BE SPRAYED ON A FIELD ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE EAST. THE NIGHT WAS DARK WITH NO MOON VISIBLE. THE PILOT SELECTED 300 FEET AGL AS A CRUISE ALTITUDE DURING THE FLIGHT TO THE FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THINKS HE ENCOUNTERED A STRONGER THAN EXPECTED CROSS WIND WHICH BLEW HIM ABOUT ONE MILE OFF COURSE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN UNLIGHTED 'H' FRAME POWER LINE SUPPORT STRUCTURE AT A POWER STATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SELECT A CRUISE ALTITUDE WHICH WOULD ENSURE ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT WHICH INHIBITED THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO SEE THE OBSTRUCTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 405
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City YUMA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85364
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 445
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 135
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 12
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1053
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42272
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4165X
NTSB Number LAX90DUJ08
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 Rockwell
Aircraft Model S-2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S-2R
Aircraft Serial Number 1936R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 Sep 19 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 303
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DMS AG SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 971
Aircraft Owner City YUMA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85362
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 LWOG
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 NONE
Departure City BARD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 400
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Cruise
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 --