On August 26, 1983, a Piper PA-25B-235 (registration N4473Y) was involved in an aviation accident near Montrose, SD. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot spraying a field struck unseen guy cables with the left wing tip, causing an uncontrollable roll and subsequent ground impact.
Accident Details
A pilot conducting aerial spraying operations was treating a field that was divided in half by a 60-foot-high powerline. As the pilot executed a turn to enter the southern section of the field, the aircraft flew parallel to the powerlines and into the sun. During this maneuver, the left wing tip struck guy cables that were present in the field but not visible to the pilot.
Sequence of Events
The contact with the guy cables caused the aircraft to enter an uncontrollable roll to the left. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground with its nose and left side. The pilot reported that the cables were unseen prior to the collision.