Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Riverdale, California 93656
Wednesday, March 1, 1989 12:51 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED A SWATH RUN OVER A FIELD, WHEN THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES. HE SAID THAT AFTER MAKING THE SWATH RUN, HE LOOKED BACK OVER HIS SHOULDER TO OBSERVE THE FLAGGERS. WHEN HE LOOKED FORWARD AGAIN, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT TO STRIKE THE WIRES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT, WHEN HE DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION. THE POWER LINE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1251
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City RIVERDALE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93656
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
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 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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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) 152
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38471
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8547H
NTSB Number LAX89DVA06
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 GRUMMAN
Aircraft Model G-164A
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164A
Aircraft Serial Number 1401
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3871
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name D.R. HUGHES D/B/A H. AG AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5500 4TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City HANFORD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93230
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code PWUG
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 1230
Departure Time Zone PST
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --