Manuel Brothers Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kinder, Louisiana 70648
Thursday, July 14, 1988 8:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS SPRAYING A FUNGICIDE ON THE FIELD AND THE OWNER OF THE FIELD WAS FLAGGING FOR HIM, ON THE TOP OF A DIKE, ON THE WEST END OF THE FIELD. DURING NORMAL OPERATION, THE FLAGMAN STAYED IN POSITION UNTIL THE AIRPLANE WAS 300 FEET AWAY, AT WHICH TIME HE WOULD MOVE 16 STEPS NORTH FOR THE NEXT RUN. THE FLAGMAN, WITH HIS UMBRELLA, WAS 12 FEET ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE FIELD. HE HAD MOVED 8 STEPS WHEN HE WAS STRUCK BY THE END OF THE RIGHT SPRAY BOOM. THE PILOT SAID A SPRAY RESIDUE ON THE WINDSHIELD MIGHT HAVE OBSCURED HIS VIEW DURING THE START OF HIS TURN-AROUND. THE FLAGMAN SUFFERED A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City KINDER
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70648
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MANUEL BROTHERS AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 16
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID LCH
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 26
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
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 1
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1310
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37405
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8512H
NTSB Number FTW88DRD13
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1389
Certified Max Gross Weight 6500
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 Jan 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 840
Airframe Hours 4898
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name O BRIEN FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 777
Aircraft Owner City IOWA
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70647
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name O'BRIENS FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 777
Operator City IOWA
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70647
Operator Code KGRG
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 826
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --