14 CFR Part 137: Agricultural
Accident occurred Thursday, August 02, 2012 in Alexander, NY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/11/2012
Aircraft: PIPER PA-25-260, registration: N6802L
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot reported that while spraying a cornfield, he saw two wires that he did not know were there. When the pilot saw the wires, the airplane was too close to the wires to climb over them. He then flew under the wires; however, the airplane impacted rolling terrain below the wires, bounced into the air, stalled, and came to rest in trees adjacent to the field. Examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to both wing spars. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain altitude during aerial application, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
The pilot reported that while spraying a cornfield, he saw two wires that he did not know were there. When the pilot saw the wires, they were too close for the airplane to climb over them. He then flew under the wires; however, the airplane impacted rolling terrain below the wires, bounced into the air, stalled, and came to rest in trees adjacent to the field. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to both wing spars. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
http://registry.faa.gov/N6802L
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 6802L Make/Model: PA25 Description: PA-25 Pawnee
Date: 08/02/2012 Time: 1553
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: ALEXANDER State: NY Country: US
DESCRIPTION
WHILE SPRAYING CROPS THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK SOME POWER LINES AND WAS FORCED TO
LAND. ALEXANDER, NY
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Aerial Application Phase: Maneuver Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: ROCHESTER, NY (EA23) Entry date: 08/03/2012
A pilot dusting a sweet cornfield off Brooksville Road in Alexander this morning spotted a wire stretched over the field and his attempt to avoid it led to the crash of his plane.
Officials say Louis C. Christie, 48, of Stephentown, was unhurt in the 10:30 a.m. crash.
Christie attempted to avoid the wire by maneuvering quickly to go under it, but his plane bottomed out and a prop was damaged. When Christie attempted to make a turn over trees at the south end of the field, his plane stalled and dropped to the ground.
The fuselage of the plane was largely undamaged and Christie climbed out easily, walked to the roadway and awaited the arrival of emergency personnel.
The plane was a 1974 Piper Pawnee D Spray Plane.
FAA inspectors were called to the scene and the accident is still under investigation by the FAA and the Sheriff's Office.
A crop dusting plane crashed in the town of Alexander Thursday. The accident was reported by a motorist around 10:30 a.m. in a wooded area off Brookville road near Cook road.
Genesee County Sherriff’s Chief Deputy Gordon Dibble said the pilot was able to get out safe as the crop dusting plane caught onto a power line and crashed into the tree.
“There’s no fire, but we do have some concerns about the cargo, the spray that they’re carrying and the potential hazmat danger involved there so the fire departments and people from the emergency management office are down there to take care of that, but we’ll have more details later,” said Dibble.
Dibble said the crop dusting materials did not leak out of the plane yet, but responders on scene are being cautious if they do end up leaking out.
The FAA is enroute to Genesee County to do their routine investigation of the crash site.
