Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Americus, Georgia 31709
Thursday, June 29, 1989 11:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS AT THE START OF A SWATH RUN TO SPRAY A PEANUT FIELD AND CONTACTED THE LOWER THREE WIRES OF POWER LINES. PART OF THE LEFT WING TIP WAS SEVERED AND THE ACFT MADE INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET FROM THE POWER LINES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO INDICATION OF A SYSTEM OR MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. AUTOPSY/TOXICOLOGY RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL, DRUGS, CYANIDE AND OTHER COMPOUNDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SURVEY THE AREA IN WHICH HE WOULD BE CONDUCTING AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHTS AND HIS FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID POWERLINES WHILE PERFORMING AERIAL APPLICATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City AMERICUS
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31709
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 2000
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) 28
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) 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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 982
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39145
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8773S
NTSB Number ATL89DKG04
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR
Aircraft Model AT-301
Aircraft Series Identifier AT-301
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0189
Certified Max Gross Weight 5000
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 May 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 150
Airframe Hours 2921
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK MUSSELWHITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 2 BOX 1237
Aircraft Owner City CORDELE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31015
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 FWSG
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 ACJ
Departure City AMERICUS
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 --