On April 13, 1989, a Grumman G-164A (registration N7245) operated by Osceola Air Service, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Osceola, AR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance while flying under power lines, which resulted in the main gear contacting the ground. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an aerial application mission, the pilot attempted to fly under power lines. The main gear struck freshly plowed soil, causing the aircraft to nose over.
What happened
The pilot was conducting an aerial application operation when he attempted to navigate beneath a set of power lines. As the aircraft descended toward the wires, the main landing gear made contact with freshly plowed soil on the ground. This impact caused the aircraft to nosed over.
The pilot later stated that his visibility was compromised by a dirty windshield while flying directly into the rising sun. He believed these conditions contributed to the accident by obscuring the location of the power lines and the terrain below.
The investigation
No mechanical examination or physical evidence analysis is reported in the source material. The account relies entirely on the pilot's statement regarding the sequence of events and his assessment of contributing factors.
Findings
The primary findings indicate that the aircraft encountered obstacles during a low-altitude maneuver. Contributing factors included:
Contact between the main gear and freshly plowed soil
Reduced visibility due to a dirty windshield
Glare from the rising sun
Difficulty identifying the location of power lines
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance while flying under power lines, which resulted in the main gear contacting the ground.