On August 23, 1984, a Piper PA-36-400 (registration N269JW) was involved in an aviation accident near Hill City, KS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Contact with tall sunflowers during descent, which destroyed the wing leading edges and landing gear, necessitating a forced landing on the fuselage. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A crop dusting aircraft sustained significant wing and landing gear damage after contacting sunflower tops, resulting in a forced landing on its fuselage.
What happened
The pilot cleared power lines while descending to spray a sunflower field. During the approach, the aircraft descended until the landing gear contacted the tops of the tall flowers. This contact destroyed the leading edges of both wings and the landing gear assembly. Despite the extensive damage, the drag from the damaged structure slowed the aircraft sufficiently to allow continued flight. The pilot navigated to an adjacent field and executed a forced landing on the fuselage.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical failure resulting from the impact with the vegetation. Examination confirmed that the leading edges of the wings were destroyed by the sunflower stalks. The landing gear was also completely destroyed upon initial contact with the crop.
Probable cause
Contact with tall sunflowers during descent, which destroyed the wing leading edges and landing gear, necessitating a forced landing on the fuselage.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…