Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the deer stand. Factors were the chemical covering the windshield and the glare from the setting sun.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On July 8, 2000, at 1940 central daylight time, a Cessna A188B agricultural airplane, N731DW, was substantially damaged when it impacted a deer hunting stand during an aerial application flight near Chase, Louisiana. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the Goodman Flying Service Inc. of Chase, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 flight. The local flight originated from the operator's private airstrip at 1810.
According to the operator, the pilot was applying a chemical over a field, when the airplane impacted a 14-foot-tall deer stand. The pilot stated that the chemical being sprayed covered the airplane's windshield and the "flight path was into setting sun." The pilot further stated that he was distracted with the GPS flagging unit and was unaware of the deer stand positioned in his flight path.
The pilot stated that he "crash landed" in a cotton field approximately 1/4 mile from the deer stand. The airplane came to rest upright.
The operator reported that the airplane sustained structural damage to the wings, the fuselage, and the empennage.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# FTW00LA199