ALEXANDRIA, LA, USA
N4938X
Rockwell S-2R
The left wing impacted the river during the turn around maneuver while spraying rye grass seeds onto a field adjacent to the river. As the evening nighttime approached, the area over the river was hazy. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by 'taking a longer and wider turn coming back into the field.' The accident occurred 40 minutes prior to the U.S. Naval Observatory official time of sunset.
On November 18, 1998, at 1630 central standard time, a Rockwell S-2R agricultural airplane, N4938X, impacted the water while maneuvering near Alexandria, Louisiana. The airplane was owned and operated by Chandler Flying Service, Alexandria, Louisiana, under Title 14 CFR Part 137. The commercial pilot was not injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the local aerial application flight. The flight originated from the Chandler Airport, Alexandria, Louisiana, at 1615. During a telephone interview, conducted by the investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot reported that he was spraying rye grass seeds onto a field adjacent to the Red River with the maneuvering turns made over the river. As the evening night time approached, the area over the river was hazy. During a maneuvering turn, he lost sight of the horizon and the left wing clipped the water. The aircraft came to rest upright on top of the water for 2 to 3 minutes before sinking. The pilot exited the aircraft and swam to shore. The operator estimated the depth of the river at the place of impact as 25 feet with a water current speed of 2 knots. Numerous boat teams and divers searched for the aircraft; however, the aircraft has not been located and is presumed destroyed. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that he pulled the airplane "up in a steep climb to the r[igh]t and then turned back to the left, coming down to make the last pass." The pilot further stated that "at that time I seemed to have lost the horizon and height of the river [and the] left wing hit [the] river. The pilot report that the accident could have been prevented by "taking a longer and wider turn coming back into the field." The pilot stated there were "no mechanical discrepancies with the airplane." The time of sunset reported by the U. S. Naval Observatory was 1710.
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the water during the turnaround maneuver. A factor was the haze over the river.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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