On July 17, 1989, a Piper PA-36 (registration N57622) was involved in an aviation accident near Haswell, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to see and avoid an unmarked guy wire during low-level agricultural operations, which resulted in a wing strike and subsequent crash. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A crop duster crashed after its right wing struck an unmarked guy wire near a power line during a swath run, causing the wing to sever and the aircraft to go down.
What happened
The accident occurred while the pilot was conducting an agricultural application flight. The pilot was executing a swath run in close proximity to a major power line structure. During this maneuver, the right wing of the aircraft made contact with a guy wire. This guy wire was anchored approximately 95 feet laterally from the main power line support.
The impact with the guy wire resulted in the severing of the right wing. The loss of structural integrity caused the aircraft to crash immediately following the collision. There were no other reported factors involved in the sequence of events leading to the impact.
The investigation
Post-accident examination confirmed that the right wing had been severed by the guy wire. The pilot provided a statement regarding the visibility of the hazard. He noted that the guy wire was unmarked at the time of the incident. The pilot indicated that improved visibility of the wire would have likely prevented the collision.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to see and avoid an unmarked guy wire during low-level agricultural operations, which resulted in a wing strike and subsequent crash.
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…