N6802L – PIPER PA-25-260 – 2012-08-02 NTSB Accident Report

On August 02, 2012, a Piper PA-25-260 (N6802L) was involved in an incident near Alexander, NY. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain altitude during aerial application, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

The pilot reported that while spraying a cornfield, he saw two wires that he did not know were there. When the pilot saw the wires, they were too close for the airplane to climb over them. He then flew under the wires; however, the airplane impacted rolling terrain below the wires, bounced into the air, stalled, and came to rest in trees adjacent to the field. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to both wing spars. The inspector did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA12CA495. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6802L.