N53211

On October 19, 2000, at 1125 central daylight time, a Cessna 188B agricultural airplane, N53211, was destroyed when it impacted power lines and the ground while maneuvering near Stanton, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual doing business as Knox Aerial Spraying Inc., of Honey Grove, Texas. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 137 aerial application flight, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Stanton Municipal Airport, Stanton, Texas, at 1000.

According to the pilot and a witness, the pilot was spraying a field, which was located three miles southeast of Stanton, as part of the federally sponsored boll weevil eradication program. The pilot was flying south on his final pass to trim the edge of the field, when the airplane's right wing contacted unmarked power lines that were 80 feet agl. The pilot stated that the "trim was intended to be accomplished beneath overhead power lines." Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground, the wings separated from the airframe, and the airplane came to rest inverted. A review of the Dallas-Fort Worth Sectional Aeronautical Chart revealed that the power lines are depicted.