What happened
During a local aerial application flight, an airplane struck three pole-mounted aluminum electrical cables. The cables, which spanned east to west at a height of approximately 35 feet above the ground, were severed upon impact.
A flagger on site reported that the aircraft had been performing north-to-south-to-north passes to spray 'Roundup' defoliant on a cotton field located east of the accident site. Physical evidence recovered from the scene indicated that the aircraft impacted the ground on a measured heading of 176 degrees. At the time of impact, the aircraft was in a nose low attitude while executing a slight right turn.
The investigation
A teardown examination of the engine and propeller was conducted as part of the investigation. The inspection revealed no defects that would have prevented the normal operation of the aircraft.