Pilot Debrief

AIR TRACTOR INC AT-802 near Benson, MN — 2023-07-14

Final reportCEN23LA311
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Date
2023-07-14
Location
Benson, MN, USA
Airport
KBBB
Aircraft
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-802
Registration
N22FK
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to adequately survey a field for obstructions prior to a low-level aerial application pass, which resulted in an impact with a powerline. Contributing to the accident was the degraded visibility due to the smoke in the area.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the degraded visibility due to the smoke in the area.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that on the afternoon of the aerial application flight, the visibility was degrading due to smoke from nearby wildfires. Upon arrival at the target field, he circled twice to study the powerlines and obstacles, where he observed two distantly spaced power poles, and mistakenly thought they were termination points of a powerline. During the low-level aerial application pass, the airplane subsequently impacted a powerline as he flew between the power poles. The pilot returned to the airport and landed without incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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