On June 20, 1989, a Piper PA-25-235 (registration N7001Z) operated by Mellott, Thomas H. was involved in an aviation accident near Conrad, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE THE GUY WIRE IN TIME TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH IT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft applying herbicide on wheat struck a guy wire supporting a powerline tower. The left wing tip hit the wire, causing the right wing to impact the ground 30 feet beyond. Weather and sun glare were not factors.
Accident Overview
An aircraft was conducting herbicide application on a wheat field when it collided with a guy wire supporting a powerline tower. The pilot was working alone, and there were no witnesses to the accident.
Sequence of Events
Examination of the accident site revealed that the aircraft passed under the guy wire. The left wing tip struck the wire, and subsequently the right wing collided with the ground 30 feet beyond the wire.
Contributing Factors
Weather and sun glare were evaluated and not considered factors in the accident. No other contributing factors were identified in the investigation.
Investigation
The accident site was examined to determine the circumstances of the collision. The lack of witnesses meant that the sequence of events was reconstructed from physical evidence at the scene.