On April 30, 1992, a Grumman G164 (registration N468RF) operated by Perez, Patrick & Dena was involved in an aviation accident near Bayside, TX. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to see and avoid a radio tower during a low-altitude maneuver while conducting agricultural operations. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An agricultural pilot attempting to position his aircraft for cotton spraying failed to see a radio tower during a left turn, striking a guy wire and losing control before impacting the ground.
What happened
The incident occurred while an agricultural pilot was conducting crop dusting operations. The pilot was maneuvering his airplane to establish a spray pattern over a cotton field when the aircraft collided with a guy wire attached to a radio tower.
During the approach, the pilot executed a left-turning maneuver to align with the target area. He reported that he did not see the radio tower during this phase of the flight. As the aircraft rolled level, the pilot spotted the guy wire but was unable to avoid impact due to proximity.
Following the collision, the airplane descended in an uncontrolled manner and subsequently impacted the terrain.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to see and avoid a radio tower during a low-altitude maneuver while conducting agricultural operations.