Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dewitt, Illinois 61735
Monday, August 10, 2009 13:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he made his first aerial application run without any problems. He said that during his second run he lost lift during a turn. He went to full power and tried to clear some trees. The left wing caught the top of a tree and the airplane sustained substantial damage on subsequent impact with terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the tree during the aerial application maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/10/2009
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DeWitt
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61735
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403800N
Event Location Longitude 0884800W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BMI
Elevation of weather observation facility 871
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KBMI 101756Z 25005KT 10SM FEW040 27/20 A3006
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25876
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Springfield FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 14 2009 12:48PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5018S
NTSB Number CEN09CA514
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 AIR TRACTOR INC
Aircraft Model AT-301
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0107
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Feb 19 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7445
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIKES AIR SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Cisco
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61830
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MIKES AIR SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Cisco
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 61830
Operator Code 1MRG
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 --
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 PVT
Departure City Cisco
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Cisco
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2009 12:11PM
User who most recently changed record male
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --