Air Tractor AT 502 N843WA

Summary

On 28 November 2018 at about 15:15 local time, a Air Tractor AT 502 registered N843WA, operated by Souther Field Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Americus, Georgia, 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

28 November 2018 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Americus, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

32.0397, -84.2942

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT 502

Registration

N843WA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1988

Engines

1

Operator

Souther Field Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Americus → Americus

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA078

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to see and avoid a power line during an agricultural application flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during an agricultural application flight, he surveyed a field before spraying and saw multiple power lines and poles. While spraying the field and after turning, about 20 ft above the ground, he pulled up and immediately felt "a massive jerk" and saw a "flash" due to the airplane's nose striking a power wire. The airplane entered a descending turn to an open field adjacent to the spray field. The pilot pushed the power lever forward but did not get a response. During the forced landing, the right wing struck a tree, the airplane rotated 180°, and the left wing and empennage impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.