Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knights Landing, California 95645
Saturday, July 20, 2002 8:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with power lines while maneuvering during an aerial application flight. Thereafter, the airplane crashed into a field. The impacted line was 33 feet above ground level. The pilot indicated that he had observed some of the lines, but not the line with the lowest elevation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, resulting in an in-flight collision with wires.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Knights Landing
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95645
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385403N
Event Location Longitude 1214845W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID SMF
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KSMF 201453Z 11004KT 10SM CLR 19/14 A2982 RM
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16336
NTSB Notification Source
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:02PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO Sacramento, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6794K
NTSB Number LAX02LA232
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 488B
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 17 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 11648
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FARM AIR FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4425 W. Riego Field
Aircraft Owner City Sacramento
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95837
Operator is an individual? No
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 NHQG
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2Q0
Departure City VERONA
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2Q0
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - aerial application
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2004 4:07PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --