Pilot Debrief

Thrush Aircraft LLC S2R-T660 near Ardoch, ND — 2023-09-12

Final reportCEN23FA409
Sign in to save
Date
2023-09-12
Location
Ardoch, ND, USA
Aircraft
Thrush Aircraft LLC S2R-T660
Registration
N710TY
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a guy wire during an aerial application flight.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting an aerial application flight when the airplane’s left wing impacted a guy wire attached to a power line structure. The impact with the guy wire occurred while the airplane was flying along the edge of the field being sprayed. The outboard 7 ft of the left wing and the left aileron separated during the impact with the guy wire. The airplane subsequently crashed in a cornfield about 0.3 mile from the guy wire impact. Examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction that would have prevented its normal operation. A review of recorded engine monitor data revealed no evidence of an engine malfunction or failure during the flight. Day visual meteorological conditions existed, and the position of the sun at high noon would not have negatively affected the pilot’s view ahead of the airplane. The pilot’s autopsy and postmortem toxicology tests did not reveal any evidence of medical incapacitation or impairment.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Avoiding the guy wire during the left turn around the field perimeter.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • FDR / data
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

Related mishaps