Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Watford City Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Watford City, North Dakota 58854
Tuesady, June 5, 2007 10:52 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The operator reported that the airplane was loaded with approximately 300 gallons of liquid insecticide and estimated the takeoff weight of the airplane was between 7,200 and 7,300 lbs. A few minutes prior to the accident, the pilot radioed that he was going to divert to another field because there were individuals near the field he was about to spray. No additional radio transmissions were received from the accident pilot. A witness, who was working an oil field west of the accident site, stated that the airplane appeared to be making normal spray runs before he lost sight of the airplane behind a hill. He noticed smoke about four to five minutes later and contacted local law enforcement to report the accident. The main wreckage was found immediately adjacent to an unimproved, east-west access road that ran between two agricultural fields. Power lines were located about 50 feet south of the main wreckage that ran parallel to the access road. A ground scar began approximately 21 feet north of the power lines and led up to the main wreckage. Portions of the left wingtip's navigational lens were found at the initial point of impact. The main wreckage remained upright and was facing south. A fan-shaped debris field, about 80 feet long, continued away from the main wreckage on a northwest heading. It appeared that the pilot was most likely maneuvering to avoid the power lines when ground collision occurred. A majority of the aircraft was destroyed by the post-impact ground fire. The on-scene investigation did not reveal any pre-impact anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airframe, engine, or its associated systems.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The agricultural pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the terrain while maneuvering to avoid power lines. The power lines were a contributing factor in the accident.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/5/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1052 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Watford City |
| Event State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 58854 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 475357N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1033048W |
| Event Location Airport | WATFORD CITY MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | S25 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 14 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2109 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1052 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KISN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1982 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| 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) | 29.76 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 23127 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 5 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 31 2008 11:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Federal Aviation Administration - Fargo FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8835Q |
| NTSB Number | CHI07LA162 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aero Commander |
| Aircraft Model | S2R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1535R |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6598.4 |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Taylor Ag Services Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 1229 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Watford City |
| Aircraft Owner State | ND |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 58854 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Taylor Ag Services, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO Box 1229 |
| Operator City | Watford City |
| Operator State | ND |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 58854 |
| Operator Code | ZGKG |
| 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 | S25 |
| Departure City | Watford City |
| Departure State | ND |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| 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 - aerial application |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 22 2008 8:25AM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |