Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sedgwick, Arkansas 72465
Wednesday, May 23, 2012 10:49 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the Grumman reported that he approached the field from the northeast with the intention of starting a spray run on the south side of the field, traveling to the southwest. Consistent with local aerial application procedures, the Grumman pilot performed a high-altitude aerial survey of the field he intended to spray before he began his first spray run; he did not observe any other airplanes operating in that area. The Air Tractor pilot departed his private airstrip with the intention of applying herbicide to a rice crop located just south of the field being sprayed by the Grumman, in a north and south application pattern. Global positioning system data recovered from the Air Tractor showed its easterly departure from the private airstrip and flight toward the field intended for application, followed by a left turn and a northerly pass over the field. The pilot of the Grumman stated that he had completed about 50% of his first spray pass when the airplanes collided and that he did not see the Air Tractor before the collision. Postaccident examination of the engine and flight control systems on both airplanes revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have prevented either pilot from maneuvering to avoid an impact. A review of both pilots’ medical records and postaccident medical and pathological examination of the Air Tractor pilot revealed no medical or toxicological issues that would have precluded either pilot from operating his airplane in a safe manner before the accident. Cellular telephone records for the pilot of the Air Tractor indicate that the pilot initiated a telephone conversation with a local farmer (for operational purposes) before his flight and he was still on the telephone with the farmer at the time of the collision. The Air Tractor pilot might have surveyed the area for traffic (in accordance with standard procedures) before he performed his initial pass over the field or scanned the area more actively during his initial pass if he had not been distracted by the telephone call. Based on the airplanes’ flight attitudes and headings at the time of impact, it would have been difficult for either pilot to see the other airplane in time to avoid the collision. In addition, it is likely that the pilot of the Air Tractor was distracted by his telephone conversation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inability of both pilots to see and avoid the other resulting in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the distraction of the Air Tractor pilot by his cellular telephone conversation during the flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/23/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1049 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Sedgwick |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72465 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 355825n |
| Event Location Longitude | 0904636w |
| 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 | 1055 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KARG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 279 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.89 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KARG 231555Z AUTO 17008KT 10SM CLR 26/08 A29 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31056 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 4 2013 3:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | reej |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4126T | N996QC |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA312A | CEN12FA312B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No | No |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AIR TRACTOR INC | GRUMMAN |
| Aircraft Model | AT-802A | G-164C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 802A-0261 | 19C |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 24 2012 12:00AM | Mar 20 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3381 | 4103 |
| ELT Installed | No | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MILES FLYING SERVICE INC | HDS, Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | JONESBORO | Beech Grove |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72404-8518 | 72412 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Name | MILES FLYING SERVICE INC | Kin-CO Ag Aviation, Inc |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | JONESBORO | Beech Grove |
| Operator State | AR | AR |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 72404-8518 | 72412 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture | 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 | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- | -- |
| Departure City | Bono | Light |
| Departure State | AR | AR |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1048 | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- | -- |
| Destination City | -- | -- |
| Destination State | -- | -- |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 28 2012 10:34AM | Nov 28 2012 10:46AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kaij | kaij |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |