Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dodge City, Kansas 67801
Monday, August 5, 1985 13:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS WAS MAKING EAST & WEST RUNS OVER A MILO FIELD AS HE WAS DISPENSING PARATHION. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN WORKING UNDER HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINES EACH TIME HE FLEW PAST THE WEST EDGE OF THE FIELD. HE STATED THAT ON THE LAST PASS, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DUST DEVIL & HE FELT IT RISE AS HE PASSED UNDER THE POWER LINES. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER HIT THE BOTTOM WIRE WHICH WAS ABOUT 30 TO 35 FT AGL & THE ENTIRE TAIL SECTION WAS RIPPED OFF THE ACFT. THE ACFT THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 120 FT EAST OF THE POWER LINES & SLID INVERTED FOR ANOTHER 90 FT TO THE EAST BEFORE COMING TO REST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DODGE CITY
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67801
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID DDC
Elevation of weather observation facility 2594
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1081
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28423
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9257G
NTSB Number MKC85FA177
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 A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier A188B
Aircraft Serial Number 18801440
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 Mar 3 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 169
Airframe Hours 2707
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERHART AERIAL SPRAYING INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1163
Aircraft Owner City DODGE CITY
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KEITH W.STAKES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 427
Operator City SANTANA
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 67870
Operator Code
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 1250
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 10:36AM
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 --