History of Flight
On May 14, 2016, at 1345 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-502 single-engine agricultural airplane, registration N1546Z, impacted terrain after striking cellular tower guy-wires near West, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by Gerik Ag LLC, Aquilla, Texas, as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed Hillsboro Municipal Airport (INJ), Hillsboro, Texas, at 1205.
According to local authorities, the operator, and a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, while traveling north towards INJ after completing an aerial application operation, the airplane's right wing collided with two cellular tower guy-wires. The airplane then impacted terrain, and a post-impact fire consumed the airplane. Several witnesses reported observing the airplane at low altitude; two witnesses reported seeing "something fall from the airplane" and "the plane looked like it dropped something."
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 75, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot's most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on April 27, 2016, with the limitation: must wear corrective lenses and possess glasses for near and intermediate vision. According to the operator, the pilot had accumulated 17,640 flight hours, with 248 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a 1992 Air Tractor AT-502, serial number 502-0180. It was powered by a Pratt and Whitney PT6A-34AG turboprop engine, rated at 750 horsepower, and equipped for agricultural operations. The airplane was issued a restricted category special airworthiness certificate on June 15, 1992. According to the operator, the airplane underwent its most recent annual inspection on February 20, 2016, at a total airframe time of 10,515 hours. The engine had accumulated 22,712 total hours and 16,267 hours since overhaul.
Meteorological Information
At 1335, the INJ automated weather observing system, located about 15 miles north of the accident site, reported wind from 360 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 21 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 20°C; dew point 13°C; and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane wreckage was located about 650 feet northeast of the cellular tower in grass terrain. The main wreckage, consisting of the fuselage, empennage, and wings, displayed impact and thermal damage. A post-impact fire consumed the main wreckage and surrounding grass. The wreckage distribution path was on a measured 50-degree heading. The initial ground impact mark was a shallow crater containing the propeller hub with two blades and portions of the engine cowling. One propeller blade was separated and located about 30 feet northwest of the main wreckage. The cockpit was about 45 feet from the initial impact mark. All major airplane components were at the accident site.
The fuselage displayed thermal and impact damage. The forward fuselage and cockpit were fragmented, and the instrument panel was destroyed by fire. The seat frame was intact; seatbelt and shoulder harness webbing were consumed by fire. The seatbelt buckle and shoulder harness connectors were found not buckled together. The airplane was not equipped with an inflatable pilot restraint system.
The right wing displayed thermal damage; the outboard two leading edge panels were separated. Portions of the right wing tip were located near the base of the cellular tower. The outboard end of the wing structure that remained with the main wreckage was bent aft about 60 degrees, consistent with an in-flight wire collision. The left wing displayed thermal and impact damage; the left aileron and flap remained partially attached to the wing structure. The empennage displayed thermal and impact damage; all flight control surfaces remained partially attached to their respective stabilizers. Flight control continuity was partially established due to impact and thermal damage. Flap position could not be determined due to thermal and impact damage.
The engine displayed thermal and impact damage. The exhaust case and stacks displayed forward-to-aft crush damage. The engine separated near the D-flange, separating the inter-stage baffle. The inter-stage baffle showed circumferential rubs and heat discoloration, consistent with contact between the compressor and power turbines. The engine propeller flange remained bolted to the propeller hub and separated from the engine. Two propeller blades remained attached to the hub; one blade was separated. The separated blade displayed chordwise scratches and leading edge damage; the blade tip was separated, and the blade was curled from leading to trailing edge.
Additional Information
The accident airplane contained a SatLoc GPS unit that was recovered but yielded no data due to thermal and impact damage. The cellular tower, owned by an unnamed entity, was 246 feet above ground level, constructed in 1997, unpainted (metallic/steel color), and equipped with a medium intensity beacon and three side markers at the top. Five guy wires supported the tower on three sides. The current aviation sectional chart listed the tower at 255 feet agl and 892 feet mean sea level.
Medical and pathological information indicated the pilot was found about 60 feet from the main wreckage, outside the fire-consumed area. The pilot was not wearing a helmet. An autopsy by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory was negative for all screened drugs and alcohol.