N8473V

On April 26, 1997, at 1030 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell International S-2R (Thrush), N8473V, collided with utility wires and the ground during an emergency landing near Lincolnton, Georgia. The aerial application flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 137 with no flight plan filed. According to the pilot, visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight departed an aerial application staging field in Lincolnton, Georgia, at 1028.

According to the pilot, he checked the fuel gauges before attempting the takeoff, and thought there was enough fuel to complete the spraying operation. The pilot recalled that after liftoff from the staging area, the airplane lost engine power. After the pilot selected an area for the emergency landing, the airplane collided with nearby utility lines. The airplane impacted the ground approximately 100 feet from the departure end of runway 27.

During the examination of the airplane, no fuel was recovered from the fuel system. No mechanical problems were discovered, nor did the pilot report experiencing a mechanical problem with the airplane.