Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pisek, North Dakota 58237
Friday, July 24, 1987 20:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS PREPARING TO SPRAY A POTATO FIELD WITH A MIXTURE OF WATER AND 2 LBS OF 'BLIGHT-OUT.' HE MADE ONE OBSERVATION PASS OVER THE FIELD TO CHECK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS AND NOTICED TWO SETS OF POWER LINES, ONE ON THE EAST SIDE OF A ROAD AND THE OTHER ON THE WEST SIDE. THE PLT STARTED HIS SPRAY PASS TO THE EAST. HE SAID HE 'FIXATED' ON TOP OF THE POWER LINE POLE TO ESTABLISH THE HEIGHT OF THE WIRES. AS HE PULLED UP FOR THE POLE, HE REALIZED HE WAS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE WEST WIRES BLENDED IN WITH THE WIRES ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD. BECAUSE HE HAD VERY LITTLE ALTITUDE, THE PLT DECIDED TO FLY UNDERNEATH THE POWER LINES. THE PLT SAID HE COLLIDED WITH THE POWER LINES AND CRASHED, FLIPPED INVERTED, AND SKIDDED TO A HALT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PISEK
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58237
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 2054 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 132
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 844
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
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
Density Altitude (feet) 2124
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 542
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2151
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33694
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2037J
NTSB Number DEN87LA193
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model T188C
Aircraft Series Identifier T188C
Aircraft Serial Number T18803312T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
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 Apr 30 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2942
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAKOTA AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address GRAFTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City GRAFTON
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58237
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAKOTA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GRAFTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City GRAFTON
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58237
Operator Code WJWG
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 GAF
Departure City GRAFTON
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 2020
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --