Cessna 188B N4832R

Summary

On 2 October 1998 at about 13:35 local time, a Cessna 188B registered N4832R, operated by William Harry MC Gowan, was involved in an accident near Tellasse, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 October 1998 at 13:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Tellasse, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

31.7109, -87.4092

Aircraft

Cessna 188B

Registration

N4832R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

William Harry MC Gowan

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shorter → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL99LA002

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a utility line while conducting a swath run.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was approaching from the northeast for a swath spray, waiting to fly over power lines that intersected a cotton field at the arrival end. The pilot thought that he was clear to push over into the cotton field to start his spray run. However, he was not completely clear of the power lines and on the push over became entangled with the ridge wire that runs from one pole to another giving the poles stability. The wire tangled between the propeller blades and around the propeller shaft slowing the engine to a stop. While tethered by the cable the aircraft fell approximately 250 to 300 feet, striking a slope and turning almost 180 degrees from the direction of impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.