Air Tractor AT-402B N4843J

Summary

On 17 July 2012 at about 21:30 local time, a Air Tractor AT-402B registered N4843J, operated by Friesenborg & Larson Custom Spraying LC, was involved in an accident near Britt, Iowa, 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

17 July 2012 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Britt, Iowa, United States

Nearest airport

Mason City Municipal (MCW)

Coordinates

43.1211, -93.7469

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-402B

Registration

N4843J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Friesenborg & Larson Custom Spraying LC

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Forest City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA453

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power transmission lines during an agricultural application operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distracted attention due to personal cell phone use during flight operations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness observed the accident airplane spraying corn about 2 miles south of his farm. He reported that he heard the engine “sputter” and looked south to see if he could see the airplane. At that moment, he observed a “large ball of fire go up.” A power line bordering the east edge of the field being sprayed was severed. In addition, a power line support pole and crossbeam west of the severed power line were damaged. One of the transmission lines was down at that location. Yellow paint transfer marks were observed on the power lines. Fragments attributed to the left wing of the airplane were located in the vicinity of the damaged support pole. The airplane came to rest inverted in the corn field west-northwest of the support pole. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Records revealed that the pilot was engaged in cellphone activity during the accident flight, and one call ended shortly before the accident. The NTSB issued a Safety Alert regarding Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) and it states, “…avoid nonoperational use of PEDs before and during flight."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.