Cessna A188B N731MB

Summary

On 25 July 2015 at about 12:15 local time, a Cessna A188B registered N731MB, operated by Aerial Spraying Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Albertson, North Carolina, 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

25 July 2015 at 12:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Albertson, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip (NONE)

Coordinates

35.1203, -77.7847

Aircraft

Cessna A188B

Registration

N731MB

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Aerial Spraying Service Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albertson → Albertson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA281

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from wires during takeoff due to his impairment from alcohol use.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on the agricultural application flight with full fuel tanks and 105 gallons of spray mixture onboard, which he stated was a lighter load than the previous day. He described the airplane's climb as "shallow," and stated that, as the airplane neared the end of the runway, it began to descend. The left main landing gear impacted a power line and the airplane subsequently descended into terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. A breathalyzer test performed about 45 minutes after the accident revealed that the pilot’s blood alcohol content was 0.07 gm/dL. At the time of the accident, the pilot's blood alcohol content was likely 0.07 to 0.10 gm/dL, which would have been impairing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.