N3159W

On July 31, 2004, at 0850 central daylight time, an Air Tractor AT-400 single-engine turbine powered agricultural airplane, N3159W, was destroyed, following an in-flight collision with power lines while maneuvering near Clayton, Louisiana. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Goodman's 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 aerial application flight. The local flight originated from the operator's private airstrip near Chase, Louisiana, about 0840.

The operator reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that while the 5,972-hour pilot was on the second load of the day, while spraying a soy bean field on a south to north direction, the left wing collided with the lower set of transmission wires running perpendicular to the field being sprayed, about 60 feet off the ground. The pilot added that he had flown under the same set of wires six or seven times that morning; however, during the last pass, he felt that "the aircraft ballooned and the tail came up."

Following the collision with the wires, the pilot lost control of the airplane, the left wing dragged the ground, the nose dug-in, and the airplane came to rest in the inverted position where a post crash fire ensued.

Examination of the airplane by the operator revealed that the fuselage of the airplane broke in half during the accident sequence.

The closest weather reporting station to the accident site was the Adams County Airport (HEZ) near Natchez, Louisiana, located 17-nautical miles southeast of the accident site. At 0915, the Automated Weather Observing System at HEX reported wind calm, visibility 7 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 82 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of Mercury.

A completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) was not received from the pilot or operator.