Corpus Christi Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Banquete, Texas 78339
Tuesady, May 29, 2007 5:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The single-engine agricultural airplane collided with a set of power transmission lines while performing an aerial application flight. The 25,223-hour commercial pilot reported that while maneuvering underneath one set of power lines and over a second set of power lines, the airplane collided with the first set of power lines, separating the vertical stabilizer and the rudder. The pilot attempted to control the airplane with power, elevator and ailerons but was not successful. The pilot lost control of the airplane during the forced landing in an adjacent cotton field. The airplane sustain structural damage and the pilot was not injured. Weather at the airport was reported as winds calm, visibility 10 statute miles with clear skies, temperature 30 degrees Celsius, dew point 21 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 29.86 inches of Mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power transmission line(s). A contributing factor was the low altitude selected by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/2007
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 515
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Banquete
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78339
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 274805N
Event Location Longitude 0974818W
Event Location Airport CORPUS CHRISTI INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 29
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KCRP
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KCRP 292251Z 14010KT 10SM FEW027 29/23 A2985 IC
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) 21753
NTSB Notification Source FAA FSDO
NTSB Notification Date May 29 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2007 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Antonio, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N502DB
NTSB Number DFW07CA123
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor Inc
Aircraft Model AT-502B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 502B
Certified Max Gross Weight 8000
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 Dec 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6525.4
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Nueces Agr Service Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Robstown
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78380
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name UNK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Banquete
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1725
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Banquete
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 21 2007 1:44PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --