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CEN13LA425

2013-07-19 · Steward, Illinois, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport C73

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the guy wires during an aerial application maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to identify potential obstructions in the area before beginning low-altitude maneuvers.

Factual narrative

On July 19, 2013, about 0807 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-400, N155HF, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a guy wire and subsequently impacted the terrain near Steward, Illinois. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to Woodley Aerial Leasing LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from a local airstrip about 0740.The pilot reported that he circled the field to check for obstacles prior to beginning the application pass, but he did not see the guy wires reaching further into the field than he was normally accustomed. He made the first pass without incident, and then during the second pass the airplane hit the guy wires "head on." The airplane impacted the cornfield, and two towers were toppled by the impact with the guy wires. The pilot reported that there was no malfunction or system failure of the airplane before the accident. The pilot reported that he circled the field to check for obstacles before beginning to apply the agricultural product, but did not see any obstructions. He made the first aerial application pass without incident; however, during the second pass, the airplane hit guy wires "head on." The guy wires extended farther into the field than the pilot was accustomed to and can be difficult to see. The airplane impacted the cornfield, and the two adjacent towers were toppled by the impact with the guy wires. The pilot reported that there was no preaccident malfunction or system failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
  • F Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-(general)-Pilot - F
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Tower/antenna (incl guy wires)-Contributed to outcome

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_CEN13LA425.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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