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CEN14CA314

2014-06-21 · Newport, Arkansas, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Current FAA registration · N428JJ

Make / Model
AIR TRACTOR INC AT-402B
Year of manufacture
2014 · 0 years old at event
Engine
P&W CANADA PT6A-15AG (680 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20140306
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A51A28

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot misjudged his altitude which resulted in the airplane contacting a wire during the low altitude aerial application maneuver.

Factual narrative

The accident occurred during an aerial application flight. The pilot made the first spray pass over the field during which he flew under a wire at the end of the field. He stated he flew under the wire to avoid spraying chemical on a neighboring field. The pilot stated that he misjudged his altitude as he entered the field for the second pass, again flying under the wire, and the top of the vertical stabilizer contacted the wire. A piece of the vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane. The rudder was bent and partially detached from the vertical stabilizer. The airplane nosed down, impacted the terrain, and slid about 200 yards prior to coming to rest. The pilot stated there were no pre-impact mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident occurred during an aerial application flight. The pilot made the first spray pass over the field during which he flew under a wire at the end of the field. He stated he flew under the wire to avoid spraying chemical on a neighboring field.  The pilot stated that he misjudged his altitude as he entered the field for the second pass, again flying under the wire, and the top of the vertical stabilizer contacted the wire. A piece of the vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane. The rudder was bent and partially detached from the vertical stabilizer. The airplane nosed down, impacted the terrain, and slid about 200 yards prior to coming to rest. The pilot stated there were no pre-impact mechanical issues with 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-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Wire-Response/compensation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2014_CEN14CA314.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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