THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM CROPS DURING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE FAILURE OF A PROPELLER PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.
— NTSB Determination
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS MAKING A LOW PASS (ABOUT 4 FEET ABOVE THE CROPS) FOR PURPOSE OF AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN 'THE ENGINE SURGED....' WHEN HE LOOKED DOWN TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE CROP. HE REPORTED 'THE NEXT THING I KNEW I WAS IN THE CORN, I PULLED BACK OUT OF IT, BUT THE INTAKE HAD INGESTED TOO MUCH CORN. THE ENGINE SEEMED LIKE IT WAS RUNNING ON 3 CYLINDERS...' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A ROW OF CEDAR AND SETTLED INTO A CORN FIELD.
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS MAKING A LOW PASS (ABOUT 4 FEET ABOVE THE CROPS) FOR PURPOSE OF AERIAL APPLICATION WHEN 'THE ENGINE SURGED....' WHEN HE LOOKED DOWN TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE CROP. HE REPORTED 'THE NEXT THING I KNEW I WAS IN THE CORN, I PULLED BACK OUT OF IT, BUT THE INTAKE HAD…
The accident on 1991-08-01 involved a Cessna T188C, registration N2872J, operated by Muckel's, at Grand Island, NE.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM CROPS DURING AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVERS. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE FAILURE OF A PROPELLER PITCH CHANGE MECHANISM AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION.
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