Air Tractor AT N31627

Summary

On 5 September 2016 at about 16:20 local time, a Air Tractor AT registered N31627, operated by Rustys Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Hondo, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 September 2016 at 16:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Hondo, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.3808, -99.1747

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT

Registration

N31627

Category

Airplane

Year built

1983

Engines

1

Operator

Rustys Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

D'hanis → D'hanis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA462

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from an antenna atop a tower while maneuvering at a low altitude and the airplane’s subsequent impact with terrain during an attempted off-airport landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude over a field during an agricultural application flight, the airplane struck an antenna atop a tower adjacent to the field, and the antenna wrapped around the right wing and landing gear. The pilot added that he attempted an off-airport landing, but the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. In an e-mail, the tower owner's lawyer reported that the tower was used for internet and two-way communications. He added that the tower was under 200 ft above ground level and "with the antenna attached, the tower was in the mid to upper 100 [foot] range." The lawyer reported that the tower was marked and lit appropriately and was not registered due its height.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.