Pzl Mielec M-18A N4305D

Summary

On 15 February 2013 at about 23:10 local time, a Pzl Mielec M-18A registered N4305D, operated by Riceland Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Jennings, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 February 2013 at 23:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Jennings, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

30.1883, -92.6322

Aircraft

Pzl Mielec M-18A

Registration

N4305D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Riceland Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jennings → Jennings

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA163

1 person died.

The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with guy wires during an aerial application flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting aerial application activities to the southeast of the airport. After the pilot finished spraying a field with a radio tower located in the northwest corner, the airplane struck the tower's guy wires. Although the tower was marked, the guy wires were not nor were they required to be marked. The tower was also depicted on the relevant aeronautical sectional chart. An examination of the airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the reported weather conditions were scattered clouds at 7,000 feet with the sun setting and visibility greater than 10 miles. It is unknown the extent that the clouds may have obscured the guy wires. The setting sun should have been behind the pilot during his pass and therefore not a factor. Based on the available evidence, it is likely the pilot lost track of the tower's location relative to his and did not notice the guy wires in time to avoid a collision.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.