On June 18, 1982, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N8544L) operated by J. Birchfield was involved in an aviation accident near Ripley, IN. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an agricultural spraying operation, the pilot was unaware of a powerline crossing the narrow field. Upon spotting the line, he dove to avoid collision but had insufficient altitude to recover, resulting in ground impact with gear collapse.
Accident Details
The accident occurred during an agricultural spraying operation when the pilot attempted to spray a field for the first time. Before beginning, the pilot observed powerlines along a road and poles on both sides of a creek, but assumed all lines followed the road. He was unaware that a powerline crossed the narrow field he intended to spray.
Sequence of Events
The first swath run was initiated by crossing over a bluff. As the pilot began spraying, he suddenly saw the powerline crossing the field and dove to avoid a collision. According to reports, there was insufficient altitude to recover from this maneuver. The aircraft subsequently struck the ground, and the landing gear collapsed into the wings and fuselage.
Post-Impact Condition
The impact caused the gear to collapse into the wings and fuselage. No further details regarding the aircraft or operational conditions are provided in the source.