Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hubbards Fork, Kentucky 40962
Saturday, March 5, 1983 17:58 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & ACFT HAD BEEN FIGHTING FOREST FIRES EARLIER IN THE DAY. A LATE DEVELOPING FIRE NECESSITATED ANOTHER DISPATCH. THE ACFT ARRIVED ON SCENE & CHECKED IN WITH THE LEAD ACFT CIRCLING OVERHEAD COORDINATING THE FIRE FIGHTING EFFORTS. THE TANKER MADE 2 RUNS OVER THE FIRE AREA FOLLOWING THE LEAD ACFT. AFTER THE 2ND RUN, THE ACFT BANKED LEFT IN A LEVEL TURN TO MAKE ANOTHER RUN WITHOUT USING THE LEAD ACFT. DURING THE 3RD RUN THE TANKER STRUCK TREES NEAR THE TOP OF A 1800 FT RIDGELINE. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND REMARKED HOW LOW THE ACFT WAS. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S PEERS, HE TOOK PRIDE IN DOING HIS JOB WELL & ALWAYS STROVE TO PUT THE CHEMICAL RIGHT ON TARGET. THERE HAD BEEN OCCASIONS IN THE PAST WHERE THIS ZEAL TO SUCCEED HAD RESULTED IN HIS GOING LOWER THAN THE 150 FT AGL MINIMUM ALTITUDE MANDATED BY FORESTRY SERVICE REGS. HE HAD, ON OCCASIONS, RETURNED TO BASE WITH TREE FOLIAGE STUCK IN HIS AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1758
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HUBBARDS FORK
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40962
Event Date Year 1983
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID LOZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1212
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1482
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21776
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 N4060A
NTSB Number ATL83FA127
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Public Use
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model B-26C
Aircraft Series Identifier B-26C
Aircraft Serial Number 44-34102A
Certified Max Gross Weight 35000
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 22 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1558
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS LYNCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address BILLINGS/LOGAN AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City BILLINGS
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ASHVILLE
Departure State NC
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 Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
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 --