Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines while maneuvering, which resulted in a hard forced landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was performing an agricultural application over a cotton field bordered by a set of power lines. After making a pass over the field, the pilot ascended to fly over the power lines. While turning back towards the field, he “misjudged” the location of a static cable. The airplane’s main landing gear contacted the cable, and the airplane entered a rapid decent. The pilot initiated a forced landing in the cotton field, resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot report no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal flight.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA13CA033