Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Yuma International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Yuma, Arizona 85365
Thursday, May 6, 2010 5:46 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The operator reported that the purpose of the flight was to release insects over selected agricultural fields, which the pilot would typically perform early in the morning, before the heat of the day. The operator provided flight track data for flights the pilot conducted on the three days prior to the accident. During all three flights, the airplane departed the airport, traveled to the west, circled two fields in the vicinity of the accident location, and then proceeded south. The recorded radar data of the accident flight depicted the airplane departing the airport and climbing to 500 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane proceeded west about 5 miles and then performed a left 270-degree turn. It then made a left-hand turn to the south-southwest and proceeded for 2 miles. About 8 minutes after departure, the airplane started a right-hand turn at 500 feet agl and after about 180 degrees through the turn, the radius of the turn started to decrease, and the altitude decreased to 100 feet agl. The final radar return was about 10 minutes after departure at 100 feet agl, in the vicinity of the accident site. A witness reported observing the airplane descend into the ground, which was followed by an explosion and fire.
Sunrise on the day of the accident occurred about the time of the accident, and the radar data depicted the airplane descending out of 500 feet agl as it was turning into the azimuth of the rising sun. Sun glare likely momentarily impeded the pilot’s situational awareness enough to result in a rapid loss of altitude while in a turn. A postaccident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal anything that would have precluded the normal operation of the engine or flight controls.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's loss of situational awareness and failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was glare from the rising sun.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/6/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 546 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Yuma |
| Event State | ARIZONA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 85365 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323912N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1144256W |
| Event Location Airport | Yuma International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KNYL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 213 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 655 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KNYL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 213 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| 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) | 29.79 |
| 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) | 27986 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 24 2011 1:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N756WN |
| NTSB Number | WPR10FA228 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | U206G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | U20604416 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | STP AVIATION LLP |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5035 CREEKWOOD DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | FLOWER MOUND |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75028-1914 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | STP AVIATION LLP |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 5035 CREEKWOOD DR |
| Operator City | FLOWER MOUND |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75028-1914 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | KNYL |
| Departure City | Yuma |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 525 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KNYL |
| Destination City | Yuma |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 24 2011 1:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |