Air Tractor AT502B N5008Z

Summary

On 30 July 1999 at about 22:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT502B registered N5008Z was involved in an accident near Giltner, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 July 1999 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Giltner, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

40.7705, -98.1508

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT502B

Registration

N5008Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aurora → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI99FA267

1 person died.

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, and his failure to maintain clearance from the guy wire. A factor was the guy wire.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Giltner, Nebraska. The pilot was fatally injured. A neighbor found the airplane wreckage and telephoned 911. The sky condition was clear. The United States Naval Observatory altitude and azimuth of the sun in Giltner, Nebraska, were 24.8 degrees and 273.5 degrees. An examination of the airplane's SATLOC computer and power supply unit revealed no evidence of pre-existing anomalies. The SATLOC's memory card was found damaged and its damaged portion could not be read or recovered. The airplane was found on the shoulder of 8 Road, west of D Road. An on scene inspection of the airplane revealed that there was flight control and engine continuity and found no evidence of preimpact malfunctions. The left wing had a section of its leading edge torn off. This section was found in two pieces in the cornfield northwest of D Road and 8 Road's intersection. The parts exhibited a gouge and the parts mated to the missing area. A radio tower was found with one of its guy wire cables detached from its tower mounting position. The cable was found lying across power lines, across D Road, and was lying in the cornfield near the torn leading edge parts. A visibility study revealed that from where the pilot sat, the area of the left wing's leading edge where it was torn was blocked by the door post. The area could be viewed if a leaning forward position or a leaning to the left position was performed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.