Terrain problem hill tree. A government pilot, flying a predator control mission, hits a tree.

Attributes
ACN	302129
Time
Date	199504
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 69v
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 30 agl bound upper : 30
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	PA-18/19 Super Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 2540 flight time type : 240
ASRS Report	302129
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying predator control for the united states department of agriculture and I hit a dead tree. We spotted a coyote and turned around, left, to make a pass on it. We made the first pass and missed the shot. We circled left again to make the second pass. The coyote ran to the wash and ran down it. This wash had a hill beside it that hid a tree. We got a couple of shots off at the coyote and I was starting the go around when the impact occurred (see drawing). We then flew directly to the huntington airport and landed. The aircraft received damage to the right wing leading edge, strut, and had 1 dent on the aileron. This was a united states department of agriculture -- aphis -- air data computer, public use government airplane. We do our own accident/incident investigation. We don't report to the NTSB or FAA our incidents/accidents.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TERRAIN PROB HILL TREE. A GOV PLT, FLYING A PREDATOR CTL MISSION, HITS A TREE.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING PREDATOR CTL FOR THE UNITED STATES DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND I HIT A DEAD TREE. WE SPOTTED A COYOTE AND TURNED AROUND, L, TO MAKE A PASS ON IT. WE MADE THE FIRST PASS AND MISSED THE SHOT. WE CIRCLED L AGAIN TO MAKE THE SECOND PASS. THE COYOTE RAN TO THE WASH AND RAN DOWN IT. THIS WASH HAD A HILL BESIDE IT THAT HID A TREE. WE GOT A COUPLE OF SHOTS OFF AT THE COYOTE AND I WAS STARTING THE GAR WHEN THE IMPACT OCCURRED (SEE DRAWING). WE THEN FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE HUNTINGTON ARPT AND LANDED. THE ACFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE R WING LEADING EDGE, STRUT, AND HAD 1 DENT ON THE AILERON. THIS WAS A UNITED STATES DEPT OF AGRICULTURE -- APHIS -- ADC, PUBLIC USE GOV AIRPLANE. WE DO OUR OWN ACCIDENT/INCIDENT INVESTIGATION. WE DON'T RPT TO THE NTSB OR FAA OUR INCIDENTS/ACCIDENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.