Incident Overview
On the day of the accident, the pilot and passengers were observed drinking beer in a lounge. They told witnesses they intended to go to the airport to eat, and were later seen at a restaurant on the airport grounds. Afterward, they decided to fly. The takeoff time and purpose of the flight were not determined.
Collision Details
At approximately 1920 Central Daylight Time, the aircraft collided with a support cable of a large rotary irrigation system. The collision occurred at an altitude of about 20 feet above ground level. The aircraft subsequently crashed. No known witnesses observed the accident, but an unidentified witness reported seeing the aircraft flying through the sprinkler spray before the collision. Two other witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying low in the vicinity.
Contributing Factors
With the irrigation sprinklers operating, the support cables were difficult to see. The pilot's blood was tested and found to contain an alcohol level of 0.108%. Additionally, the pilot tested positive for marijuana.
Conclusion
The investigation did not provide a stated probable cause for the accident. The factual circumstances include pilot impairment due to alcohol and marijuana, and the low visibility of the irrigation cables due to operating sprinklers.