On June 24, 1999, a Cessna A188B (registration N4788Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Big Sandy, MT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inability to overcome a downdraft during a pull-up maneuver, resulting in contact with a wire. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an agricultural application run, the pilot attempted a pull-up to avoid a known wire but was unable to clear it due to a sudden downdraft.
What happened
The pilot reported that he was pulling up from the end of an application run when the aircraft flew into a wire. The pilot stated that he knew that the aircraft was approaching the wire, but just as he initiated the pull-up to clear it, the aircraft encountered a downdraft. The pilot was unable to overcome the effects of the downdraft in time to clear the wire.
The investigation
No further mechanical examination details were provided in the source text.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the downdraft that prevented the aircraft from gaining sufficient altitude to clear the obstruction despite the pilot's timely recognition of the hazard.
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to overcome a downdraft during a pull-up maneuver, resulting in contact with a wire.
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