Air Tractor AT-802A N3070R

Summary

On 18 August 2015 at about 16:05 local time, a Air Tractor AT-802A registered N3070R, operated by Reynolds Flying Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Wiville, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 2015 at 16:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Wiville, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

35.1636, -91.2236

Aircraft

Air Tractor AT-802A

Registration

N3070R

Category

Airplane

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Reynolds Flying Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McCrory → McCrory

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA367

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a utility pole while maneuvering during an agricultural application flight, which resulted in damage to the right aileron and a subsequent uncontrolled right roll at a low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a local agricultural application flight when the airplane collided with a utility pole that was located along the border of the field being sprayed. A witness reported hearing the pilot transmit over the radio that he had "messed up" and that his airplane had collided with a pole. The pilot also reported having an unspecified flight control issue following the collision. The witness stated that the airplane remained in level flight for about 1 mile before it entered a slow right roll and descended into a forested area. Postaccident examination established that the airplane's right wingtip had impacted near the top of the 30-ft-tall utility pole. The examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane before the collision. It is likely that the collision with the utility pole damaged the right aileron, which resulted in an uncontrolled right roll and subsequent descent into terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.