What happened
A pilot was conducting training for agricultural operations in a Piper Pawnee when the aircraft impacted the ground and caught fire. The flight was intended to consist of simulated spray runs and aerial applicator maneuvers across a local farmer's field. The pilot was in radio communication with a certified flight instructor (CFI) who was supervising from the ground.
The aircraft departed with full fuel and 100 gallons of water. During the training, the pilot completed an initial pass from east to west at an altitude of approximately 15-20 feet. Upon exiting the field, the pilot turned 45 degrees to the left at an altitude of 150 to 200 feet above the trees and flew in a southwesterly direction for several seconds before attempting a right-hand reversal. During a 30-degree banked level turn, the CFI momentarily diverted attention to park a vehicle. Upon looking back five seconds later, the CFI observed black smoke rising from behind trees near the crash site.
The investigation
An investigation by the FAA revealed that the aircraft's hopper was intact but empty of water, and the dump handle was found in the dump position. Water leakage was noted on the ground near the wreckage. Regarding flight controls, the elevator trim was found in a nose-down position, though continuity of the elevator, rudder, and ailerons was established.
The investigation into the cockpit safety equipment found that the seat belt was in the locked position on the ground inside the cockpit; however, the 1 fatality involved a pilot whose body showed no evidence of being attached to the seat belt or harness.
Components including the cockpit framework, inertial reel gear shift, and shoulder harness attachment cable were examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, DC. The laboratory determined that the inertial reel retraction cable had failed due to long-term wear, leading to the failure of the remaining wires under tensile overstress. Investigators could not confirm if the cable had been properly tied to the frame tube prior to the accident.
Findings
- The pilot had logged only 3.2 hours in this specific make and model and had first soloed on April 1, 1998.
- At the time of the accident, the pilot had a total of 165 flight hours.
- The training program, provided by AG-FLIGHT Inc., was not FAA-certified.