What happened
The pilot was conducting practice takeoffs and landings with approximately 800 pounds of water on board. During his second landing attempt, he turned downwind when he experienced a loss of airspeed. The aircraft began to sink toward nearby power lines. In response, the pilot released the emergency dump gate. At that moment, the tail wheel snagged a power line, causing the aircraft to stall and crash into the ground.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control. The primary mechanical factor identified was the interaction between the tail wheel and the power lines after the emergency dump gate was released.
Findings
Contributing factors included the low airspeed during the downwind turn and the subsequent snagging of the tail wheel by a power line. The aircraft stalled as a result of this obstruction.
N00000 (registration not provided in source, omitted per rules)
The incident highlights the risks associated with low-speed flight near obstacles during practice maneuvers.