History of Flight
On August 18, 2015, about 1105 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-802A airplane, registration N3070R, was destroyed during impact with trees and terrain after an inflight collision with a utility pole near Wiville, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Reynolds Flying Service, Inc., under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137. Day meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local agricultural application flight, which departed McCrory/Morton Airport (7M0), McCrory, Arkansas, at 1100.
A pilot conducting another agricultural application flight nearby reported that the accident pilot transmitted over the radio that he had "messed up" and that his airplane had collided with a pole. The accident pilot also reported having an unspecified flight control issue following the collision. The witness located the accident airplane and maneuvered closer to render assistance. The witness reported that the accident airplane remained in level flight for about 1 mile before it entered a slow right roll and descended into a forested area. The airplane impacted trees in a slight right-wing-down, nose-low attitude. An explosion was observed upon impact. The witness estimated that 30-45 seconds elapsed between the utility pole impact and the descent into the forested area.
Pilot Information
The 34-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on November 19, 2014, with no limitations. On that application, he reported 2,400 total flight hours, with 350 hours in the previous 6 months. His logbook indicated 4,139.2 total hours as of March 31, 2015, all in single-engine airplanes. The operator reported that the pilot had flown at least 900 hours in the accident airplane make and model, about 250 hours in the 90 days before the accident, and 50 hours in the preceding month. His most recent flight review was completed on January 9, 2015, in an American Champion 8KCAB.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane, serial number 802A-0528, was manufactured in 2013 and powered by a 1,295 shaft-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AG turboprop engine, serial number PCE-PN0188, driving a five-blade Hartzell propeller. It was a single-seat airplane with conventional landing gear, flaps, and agricultural application equipment. Maximum allowable takeoff weight was 16,000 pounds. A restricted category airworthiness certificate was issued on September 26, 2013. The recording hour meter indicated 878.4 hours. The last annual inspection was completed on October 6, 2014, at 473.4 total airframe hours, and the airplane had accumulated 405 hours since. No unresolved airworthiness issues were found in the maintenance records. The airplane departed with 150 gallons of Jet-A fuel.
Meteorological Information
The nearest aviation weather reporting station was Searcy Municipal Airport (SRC), about 26 miles west. At 1056, the automated system reported wind 160° magnetic at 8 knots, clear sky, 10 miles visibility, temperature 31°C, dew point 24°C, and altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Initial impact was with a 30-ft-tall wooden utility pole along the western border of the field being sprayed. Embedded near the top of the pole were pieces of yellow fiberglass from the airplane's right wingtip and a wingtip strobe light. Small fiberglass pieces were found on the ground extending 250 ft south from the pole. The main wreckage was located about 2 miles south-southwest in a densely forested area with mature trees 60-80 ft tall. A fan-shaped debris field extended about 400 ft from the initial tree impact. The airplane was heading east at impact. The fuselage and wings were highly fragmented. There was evidence of a prolonged postimpact ground fire. All structural components and flight control surfaces were located; flight control continuity could not be established due to impact damage, but separations were consistent with overstress or fire damage. The flap actuator was in the fully retracted position. The engine remained attached to mounts. The propeller hub assembly and forward reduction gearbox had separated; three of five blades remained attached. All blades exhibited S-shaped bends, tip curls, chordwise scratching, and leading edge damage. The postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation before the utility pole collision.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy attributed the cause of death to multiple blunt-force injuries. Toxicology tests were negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Acetaminophen (83 ug/ml) was detected in urine. Dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan were detected in urine and blood. Doxylamine was detected in urine but not in blood; the absence in blood is considered non-impairing.
Tests and Research
The airplane was equipped with a Hemisphere IntelliStar GPS system. The non-volatile memory card was recovered and contained data from February 2, 2011, through May 12, 2011. The last recorded flight did not match the accident location. No data pertinent to the accident flight were found.