COCHRAN, GA, USA
N5657J
CESSNA A188A
THE AG PILOT WAS ON HIS THIRD SPRAY PASS OF A SMALL FIELD. DURING THE CLIMBOUT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A GUSTING TAIL WIND AT THE TIME, AND HE WAS CARRYING A 'SUBSTANTIAL' LOAD OF PESTICIDES. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT AIRSPEED WAS DIMINISHED DUE TO THE CONSECUTIVE PASSES OF THE SMALL FIELD. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
On July 16, 1994, at 1245 eastern daylight time, Cessna A188A, N5657J, collided with trees during an attempted pull up from a swath run near Cochran, Georgia. The aerial application flight was operated under 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 serious injuries. The flight departed from a private airstrip in Cochran at 1220. According to the operator, the pilot was on climb out from the third swath run when the aircraft collided with the trees. The operator recalled that there was an increase in wind speed and there was a shift in wind direction when the pilot attempted the climb out from the field; the operator also said that the climb out was attempted with a tail wind. The pilot reported that a substantial load of pesticides was being carried at the time of the accident. He also reported that there was a gusting tail wind at the time of the accident, and that airspeed was diminished due to a loss of "momentum" from short passes on a small field. He reported no mechanical malfunction or failure with the aircraft following the accident.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND CLEARANCE FROM TREES DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION MANEUVER. FACTORS WERE THE TREES AT THE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD, AND THE GUSTING TAIL WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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