Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Garfield, Kansas 67529
Tuesady, April 22, 2014 13:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 22, 2014, about 1330 central daylight time, N51990, an Air Tractor 502B, was destroyed when it collided with power lines then terrain while spraying a hay field in Garfield. Kansas. The airline transport rated pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Farmer's Spraying Service Incorporated, Pratt, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the aerial spraying flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. A witness stated that he had hired the pilot to spray his hay field for weevils. He was standing in his home looking out a window when he saw the airplane start its first pass from south to north. The witness then saw a puff of smoke when the airplane struck a set power lines that ran east and west along the field. The airplane descended behind a tree line and the witness immediately called 911. The witness then drove toward where he last saw the airplane and discovered that it had impacted a road. There was no post-impact fire. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and said the airplane struck the very top wire to the power line, which was a 3-inch-wide static cable.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/22/2014
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Garfield
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67529
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) --
NTSB Notification Source KC 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 22 2014 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51990
NTSB Number CEN14LA211
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed --
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR INC
Aircraft Model AT 502B
Aircraft Series Identifier B
Aircraft Serial Number 502B-0557
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
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 FARMERS SPRAYING SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City PRATT
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 671248225
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FARMERS SPRAYING SERVICE INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City PRATT
Operator State KS
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 671248225
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 --
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City --
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 22 2014 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight --
Medical Flight --