Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The downdraft weather condition, and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the terrain during his maneuver.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 15, 1995, at 1250 central daylight time, a Cessna 188B, N5621G, collided with the ground and burned during climbout from a swath run several miles northwest of Huntsville, Alabama. The aerial application flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was destroyed, and the pilot received minor injuries. The flight's exact departure time from Huntsville, was not determined.
The pilot stated that he was applying agricultural chemicals. He said that during climbout at the completion or a swath run, he crossed over a ridge, after crossing the ridge line, he experienced a severe downdraft. He was unable to arrest the aircraft's descent and collided with the terrain. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
The pilot/operator failed to complete the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL95LA110